Metabarcoding Analysis of Harmful Algal Bloom Species in the Western Pacific Seamount Regions.

Qing Xu,Nansheng Chen,Chunzhi Wang,Kuidong Xu

doi:10.3390/ijerph182111470

Abstract

The Western Pacific is the most oligotrophic sea on Earth, with numerous seamounts. However, the plankton diversity and biogeography of the Western Pacific in general and the seamount regions in particular remains largely unexplored. In this project, we quantitatively analyzed the composition and distribution patterns of plankton species in the Western Pacific seamount regions by applying metabarcoding analysis. We identified 4601 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) representing 34 classes in seven protist phyla/divisions in the Western Pacific seamount regions, among which Dinoflagellata was by far the most dominant division. Among the 336 annotated phytoplankton species (including species in Dinoflagellata), we identified 36 harmful algal bloom (HAB) species, many of which displayed unique spatial distribution patterns in the Western Pacific seamount regions. This study was the first attempt in applying ASV-based metabarcoding analysis in studying phytoplankton and HAB species in the Western Pacific seamount regions, which may facilitate further research on the potential correlation between HABs in the Western Pacific seamount regions and coastal regions.

Highlights

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) caused by proliferation of certain algae in the marine environment pose threats to ecological security, directly or indirectly to human health, and to local social and economic development [1]
Among the 4601 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) annotated as phytoplankton species, only a small portion (336 ASVs, 7.3%) could be annotated to known phytoplankton species, whereas the vast majority (4265, 92.7%) could not be annotated, suggesting that phytoplankton in the Western Pacific seamount regions are seriously understudied
Through metabarcoding analysis of samples collected from seamount regions in the Western Pacific Ocean, we revealed that these ocean regions have high phytoplankton biodiversity

Summary

Introduction

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) caused by proliferation of certain algae in the marine environment pose threats to ecological security, directly or indirectly to human health, and to local social and economic development [1]. More HABs of rare and novel species occur within and beyond their recognized geographic regions, and HABs of previously undescribed species have become common features of HABs [3]. An emerging pattern of HAB distribution is that HABs caused by the same HAB species could be geographically distant. Brown tides caused by the picoplankton Aureococcus anophagefferens have been reported on the eastern U.S coast in 1985 [4], in Saldanha Bay, South Africa in 1997 [5], and in Qinhuangdao, China in 2009 [6], which were geographically distant regions.

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion