Components Of Microbial Food Web Research Articles

Top-down and bottom-up control of plankton structure and dynamics in hypertrophic fishponds

We investigated the effects of strong top-down control by high fish stock on structure and seasonal dynamics of plankton in nine fishponds under conventional fishery management based on auxiliary feeding during two vegetation seasons. Mean concentrations of total nitrogen, phosphorus, and high densities of phytoplankton, bacteria, heterotrophic nanoflagellates, and ciliates indicated hypertrophic state of the fishponds, as well as a markedly reduced control of these microbial food web components by crustacean zooplankton. Mean seasonal densities of zooplankton varied within one order of magnitude for cladocerans, copepods, nauplii, and rotifers. Daphnia were found in most fishponds in densities up to 630 ind. l−1 (median: 53 ind. l−1). While TN and TP concentrations were high, dissolved inorganic N (median: 29 µg l−1) and reactive P (median: 11 µg l−1) indicated possible nutrient deficiency. The fish stock index (defined as the product of biomass and square root of densities) was used as a proxy for fish predation pressure. Multivariate analysis revealed that nutrients and high fish stocks (market carp, carp fry, and/or undesirable small planktivorous fishes) were the main driving forces shaping the fishpond plankton. The resulting trophic structure thus severely reduced the herbivorous zooplankton–fish link during a vegetation season.

Analysis of the Influence of Seasonal Water Column Dynamics on the Relationship between Marine Viruses and Microbial Food Web Components Using an Artificial Neural Network

Artificial neural network analysis (ANN) is used to study the seasonal distribution of viruses and microbial food web (MFW) components in the open Adriatic Sea. The effect of viruses within the MFW is often overlooked, although viruses play an important role in microbial community dynamics. The results showed that the strongest influence is found in the nonlinear relationship between viruses and temperature. In addition, the algorithm showed that the number of viral populations in the P-limited open sea varies by season and according to the abundance of their main hosts, HB. A strong positive relationship between viruses and HB was found in more than 50% of the observed data. Moreover, this algorithm confirmed the association of the virus with the autotrophic part of the picoplankton and with heterotrophic nanoflagellates. The dynamics of the four resulting clusters, characterized by biological and environmental parameters, is described as a cyclic pattern in the water layer above the thermocline. Neural gas network analysis has been shown to be an excellent tool for describing changes in MFW components in the open Adriatic.

Simultaneous Study of the Growth and Grazing Mortality Rates of Microbial Food Web Components in a Mediterranean Coastal Lagoon

The abundances of 17 cytometric groups encompassing four groups of bacteria, three groups of cyanobacteria, six groups of eukaryotic picophytoplankton (<2–3 µm), and four groups of small eukaryotic nanophytoplankton (between 3 and 6 µm) were studied in the Thau Lagoon across different seasonal conditions. Among them, the growth (µ) and mortality rates due to grazing (g) of 12 groups of bacteria, cyanobacteria, and eukaryotic pico- and nanophytoplankton were simultaneously studied in the Thau Lagoon via four dilution experiments across different seasonal conditions. The abundances of heterotrophic flagellates and ciliates and their potential predators were studied and linked to prey mortality. Bacteria were more active than phytoplankton and displayed the highest growth and grazing mortality rates. Most studied groups had g:µ ratios > 1, suggesting that predators efficiently grazed and transferred these preys. Surprisingly, the observed variations in predator abundance across seasons did not necessarily correspond with changes in grazing pressure. The significant positive relationship found between water temperature and bacterial grazing mortality rates and the reverse trend observed for larger eukaryotic prey suggested that warmer water increases small prokaryote transfer to higher trophic levels but disadvantages larger eukaryotic prey transfer.

High Dynamics of Ciliate Community Revealed via Short-Term, High-Frequency Sampling in a Subtropical Estuarine Ecosystem.

Ciliates are pivotal components of the marine microbial food web, exerting profound impacts on oceanic biogeochemical cycling. However, the temporal dynamics of ciliate assemblages on a short time scale in the highly fluctuating estuarine ecosystem remain largely unexplored. We studied changes in the ciliate community during a short time frame in the high salinity waters (>26) of a subtropical estuary. Ciliate abundance, biomass, size and oral diameter structure, and community composition fluctuated considerably and irregularly over a few days or even a few hours. Spearman correlations and the generalized linear model revealed that heterotrophic prokaryotes (HPs) and viral abundances drove the dynamics of ciliate abundance and biomass. The structural equation model further identified a major path from the high-fluorescence content virus (HFV) to HPs and then ciliates. Given the substantial correlation between salinity and HPs/HFV, we proposed that the response of HPs and HFV to salinity drives the dynamics of ciliate biomass. Additionally, the Mantel test showed that phytoplankton pigments such as Lutein and Neoxanthin, phosphate, and pigmented picoeukaryotes were key covariates of the ciliate community composition. This study demonstrated the highly changing patterns of ciliate assemblages and identified potential processes regulating ciliate biomass and community composition on short timescales in a subtropical, hydrographically complex estuary.

Diversity and distribution of heterotrophic flagellates in seawater of the Powell Basin, Antarctic Peninsula

Heterotrophic flagellates are essential components of the marine microbial food web. However, how the changes in flagellate populations reflect environmental changes in marine ecosystems is still unclear, especially in polar regions. In this study, we used pyrosequencing to examine the community structure of heterotrophic flagellates (HFs) in the Powell Basin’s surface waters of the northern Antarctic Peninsula. OTUs (operational taxonomic units) of different taxa and the correlations between community structure and environmental factors were analysed. Eight taxa of HFs were selected for the principal analysis: Telonemia, Picozoa, Rhizaria, Amoebozoa, Apusomonas, Centrohelida, Choanomonada and marine stramenopiles (MASTs). The HFs were defined as heterotrophic picoflagellates (HPFs; <3 μm) and heterotrophic nanoflagellates (HNFs; >3 μm, <20 μm), which had similar dominant phyla (MASTs and Telonemia). However, their taxonomic composition differed. Environmental factors exerted similar effects on the community structure of both HPFs and HNPs. Compared with the correlation between HPF and environmental factors, the correlation between HNF and environmental factors was stronger. Salinity, bacterial biomass and the biological interactions amongst dominant taxa were the main variables to influence the diversity and community structure of HFs.

Relationships of pelagic ciliates with the microbial food web components at a coastal station in the oligotrophic Eastern Mediterranean Sea: temporal and vertical variability.

The annual/temporal and vertical dynamics of the microbial food web (MFW) was studied in a coastal station of the oligotrophic Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The present study analyzed the changes of all components of the MFW with a specific focus on the relationships between different size classes of heterotrophic and mixotrophic ciliates with their potential prey. The MFW was dominated by heterotrophic picoplankton in all months and depths analyzed, whereas autotrophic nanoplankton took advantage in cold months with higher nutrient availability. On the other hand, mixotrophic microplankton biomass was higher in summer when nutrients and chlorophyll-a were scarce.As part of the mixotrophic biomass, mixotrophic ciliates were correlated with their “potential” prey at the surface and deep chlorophyll maximum. Large mixotrophic ciliates (L. strobila) were more selective in terms of potential prey, showing a correlation with Synechococcus. On the other hand, mixotrophic nanociliates (Strombidium dalum) were correlated differently with different potential prey according to depth, supporting the idea that nanociliates could be more generalists in terms of prey selection. Because the relationships between mixotrophic ciliates and their potential prey are still poorly studied, this work represents the start for further investigation.

Bdellovibrio and Like Organisms in Lake Geneva: An Unseen Elephant in the Room?

When considering microbial biotic interactions, viruses as well as eukaryotic grazers are known to be important components of aquatic microbial food webs. It might be the same for bacterivorous bacteria but these groups have been comparatively less studied. This is typically the case of the Bdellovibrio and like organisms (BALOs), which are obligate bacterial predators of other bacteria. Recently, the abundance and distribution of three families of this functional group were investigated in perialpine lakes, revealing their presence and quantitative importance. Here, a more in-depth analysis is provided for Lake Geneva regarding the diversity of these bacterial predators at different seasons, sites and depths. We reveal a seasonal and spatial (vertical) pattern for BALOs. They were also found to be relatively diverse (especially Bdellovibrionaceae) and assigned to both known and unknown phylogenetic clusters. At last we found that most BALOs were positively correlated to other bacterial groups, mainly Gram-negative, in particular Myxococcales (among which many are predators of other microbes). This study is the first shedding light on this potentially important bacterial killing group in a large and deep lake.

Microbial food-web components in two hypertrophic human-impacted Pampean shallow lakes: interactive effects of environmental, hydrological, and temporal drivers

Few studies have intensively assessed the dynamic of all planktonic components and their microbial communities in hypertrophic shallow lakes. The aim of this work was to study the potential drivers shaping the microbial food-web components (heterotrophic bacteria and strictly phototrophic microplankton). Thus, we studied the monthly abundances and functional groups of the different planktonic food-web components (heterotrophic bacteria, picocyanobacteria, picoeukaryotes, heterotrophic flagellates, ciliates, phytoplankton, zooplankton) in two interconnected and hypertrophic Pampean shallow lakes (Gomez and Carpincho) during dry–wet periods (27-month study). We hypothesized that temporal (intra and inter-annual) factors exert a major role in shaping the microbial food-web components in both lakes. Both shallow lakes showed similar dynamic in the environmental variables, that followed inter-annual and seasonal variations. In Gomez, the variation of microbial components was mainly explained by a combination of environmental, predation, and temporal factors (38.2%), whereas in Carpincho by pure temporal drivers (31.8%). Microbial and predator components were significantly different between dry and wet periods. The connection and closeness between both lakes seem not to play a major role in the factors driving the microbial component abundances. These lakes are strongly influenced by temporal factors, which regulate not only the microbial components, but also the physical, chemical, and biological variables.

Potential contribution of surface-dwelling Sargassum algae to deep-sea ecosystems in the southern North Atlantic

Deep-sea ecosystems, limited by their inability to use primary production as a source of carbon, rely on other sources to maintain life. Sedimentation of organic carbon into the deep sea has been previously studied, however, the high biomass of sedimented Sargassum algae discovered during the VEMA Transit expedition in 2014/2015 to the southern North Atlantic, and its potential as a regular carbon input, has been an underestimated phenomenon. To determine the potential for this carbon flux, a literature survey of previous studies that estimated the abundance of surface water Sargassum was conducted. We compared these estimates with quantitative analyses of sedimented Sargassum appearing on photos taken with an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) directly above the abyssal sediment during the expedition. Organismal communities associated to Sargassum fluitans from surface waters were investigated and Sargassum samples collected from surface waters and the deep sea were biochemically analyzed (fatty acids, stable isotopes, C:N ratios) to determine degradation potential and the trophic significance within deep-sea communities. The estimated Sargassum biomass (fresh weight) in the deep sea (0.07–3.75g/m2) was several times higher than that estimated from surface waters in the North Atlantic (0.024–0.84g/m2). Biochemical analysis showed degradation of Sargassum occurring during sedimentation or in the deep sea, however, fatty acid and stable isotope analysis did not indicate direct trophic interactions between the algae and benthic organisms. Thus, it is assumed that components of the deep-sea microbial food web form an important link between the macroalgae and larger benthic organisms. Evaluation of the epifauna showed a diverse nano- micro-, meio, and macrofauna on surface Sargassum and maybe transported across the Atlantic, but we had no evidence for a vertical exchange of fauna components. The large-scale sedimentation of Sargassum forms an important trophic link between surface and benthic production and has to be further considered in the future as a regular carbon input to the deep-sea floor in the North Atlantic.

Microbial and classic food web components under ice cover in eutrophic lakes of different morphometry and fisheries management

Abstract The thickness and duration of ice cover are strongly influenced by global warming. The aim of this study was to determine chemical (organic carbon, total nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations) and biological (nanoflagellates, ciliates, phytoplankton, rotifers, crustaceans) parameters under the ice cover in three eutrophic lakes (Masurian Lake District, Poland), differing in their morphometry and fisheries management. All the studied groups of organisms showed high variability over a short time. Taxonomic composition of planktonic communities, except for rotifers and phytoplankton, was similar in all lakes. Nanoflagellates were dominated by autotrophic forms, while ciliates were primarily composed of small oligotrichs and prostomatids. Nano-sized diatoms and mixotrophic cryptophytes were the most important components of phytoplankton and they formed an under-ice bloom in one lake only. Rotifers were mainly represented by Keratella cochlearis, Polyarthra dolichoptera and Asplanchna priodonta. Among crustaceans, copepods clearly dominated over cladocerans. Our research suggests that winter was a very dynamic period. In the under-ice conditions, pelagic organisms were strongly dependent on each other. The shallow lake and the deeper, small lake differed significantly in nutrient and chlorophyll concentrations, ciliate and phytoplankton biomass and the ratio of autotrophic to heterotrophic biomass. These results suggest that morphometric parameters may affect planktonic organisms during the ice-covered period.

Litter chemistry explains contrasting feeding preferences of bacteria, fungi, and higher plants

Litter decomposition provides a continuous flow of organic carbon and nutrients that affects plant development and the structure of decomposer communities. Aim of this study was to distinguish the feeding preferences of microbes and plants in relation to litter chemistry. We characterized 36 litter types by 13C-CPMAS NMR spectroscopy and tested these materials on 6 bacteria, 6 fungi, and 14 target plants. Undecomposed litter acted as a carbon source for most of the saprophytic microbes, although with a large variability across litter types, severely inhibiting root growth. An opposite response was found for aged litter that largely inhibited microbial growth, but had neutral or stimulatory effects on root proliferation. 13C-CPMAS NMR revealed that restricted resonance intervals within the alkyl C, methoxyl C, O-alkyl C and di-O-alkyl C spectral regions are crucial for understanding litter effects. Root growth, in contrast to microbes, was negatively affected by labile C sources but positively associated with signals related to plant tissue lignification. Our study showed that plant litter has specific and contrasting effects on bacteria, fungi and higher plants, highlighting that, in order to understand the effects of plant detritus on ecosystem structure and functionality, different microbial food web components should be simultaneously investigated.

Salinity Drives the Virioplankton Abundance but Not Production in Tropical Coastal Lagoons.

Viruses are the most abundant components of microbial food webs and play important ecological and biogeochemical roles in aquatic ecosystems. Virioplankton is regulated by several environmental factors, such as salinity, turbidity, and humic substances. However, most of the studies aimed to investigate virioplankton regulation were conducted in temperate systems combining a limited range of environmental variables. In this study, virus abundance and production were determined and their relation to bacterial and limnological variables was assessed in 20 neighboring shallow tropical coastal lagoons that present wide environmental gradients of turbidity (2.32-571NTU), water color (1.82-92.49m-1), dissolved organic carbon (0.71-16.7mM), salinity (0.13-332.1‰), and chlorophyll-a (0.28 to 134.5μgL-1). Virus abundance varied from 0.37×108 to 117×108 virus-like-particle (VLP) mL-1, with the highest values observed in highly salty aquatic systems. Salinity and heterotrophic bacterial abundance were the main variables positively driving viral abundances in these lagoons. We suggest that, with increased salinity, there is a decrease in the protozoan control on bacterial populations and lower bacterial diversity (higher encounter rates with virus specific hosts), both factors positively affecting virus abundance. Virus production varied from 0.68×107 to 56.5×107 VLP mL-1 h-1 and was regulated by bacterial production and total phosphorus, but it was not directly affected by salinity. The uncoupling between virus abundance and virus production supports that the hypothesis that the lack of grazing pressure on viral and bacterial populations is an important mechanism causing virus abundance to escalate with increasing salt concentrations.

Relations between bacterioplankton, heterotrophic nanoflagellates, and virioplankton in the littoral zone of a large plain reservoir: Impact of bird colonies

Interactions of the main components of microbial planktonic food web (bacteria, heterotrophic nanoflagellates, and viruses) were studied in a protected overgrown littoral zone of the Rybinsk Reservoir (Upper Volga).. The effect of bird colonial, settlements (the Laridae family) on these processes was deter- mined. The following systems exhibited significant negative correlations: "heterotrophic nanoflagellates- large rod-shaped bacteria" ("predator-prey"), "viruses-bacteriophages-bacterial products" ("parasite-. host") and "heterotrophic nanoflagellates-viruses-bacteriophages." Relations between biotic factors con- trolling bacterial development were more pronounced outside the zone affected by colonial bird settlements. Near the bird colony the role of viruses in mortality of planktonic bacteria increased. Reproduction of bacte- rial cells accelerated in response to the increase in feeding activity of heterotrophic nanoflagellates. Viruses- bacteriophages and heterotrophic nanoflagellates probably eliminate different targets until medium-sized cells become predominant in the bacterial community. Then heterotrophic nanoflagellates consume bacterial cells infected with viruses.

Microbial food web structural and functional responses to oyster and fish as top predators

The impact of fish and oysters on components of the pelagic microbial food web (MFW) was studied in a 10 d mesocosm experiment using Mediterranean coastal waters. Two mesocosms contained natural water only (‘Controls’), 2 contained natural water with Crassostrea gigas (‘Oyster’), and 2 contained natural water with Atherina spp. (‘Fish’). Abundances and biomasses of microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, phytoplankton, heterotrophic flagellates, and ciliates) were measured to estimate their contribution to the total microbial carbon biomass. Two MFW indices, the microbial autotroph:heterotroph C biomass ratio (A:H) structural index and the gross primary production:respiration ratio (GPP:R) functional index, were defined. In the Fish mesocosms, selective predation on zooplankton led to a trophic cascade with 51% higher phyto- plankton C biomass and consequently higher A:H and GPP:R than in the Controls. By the end of the experiment, the Oyster mesocosms had a bacterial C biomass 87% higher and phytoplankton C biomass 93% lower than the Controls, giving significantly lower A:H and GPP:R ( 1), whereas oyster activities made the MFW more hetero- trophic (both indices <1). These MFW indices can therefore be used to assess the impact of multi- ple local and global forcing factors on the MFW. The results presented here also have implications for sustainable management of coastal environments, suggesting that intense cultivation of filter feeders can be coupled with management to encourage wild local zooplanktivorous fishes to maintain a more resilient system and preserve the equilibrium of the MFW.

Microbial Food Web Components as Potential Indicators of Urban Hydroecosystems / Mikrobiālās ķēdēs Komponentu Potenciāls Pielietojums Urbānās Vides Ūdeņu Ekosistēmas Kvalitātes Novērtējumam

Abstract Assessment of the effect of urbanisation on biodiversity and ecological impact studies are focused on plants, birds, terrestrial arthropods, and relatively few studies have been on aquatic organisms. The aim of this study was to investigate the microbial food web components as potential indicators of the trophic state of two small natural lakes (Gaiļezers, Bābelītis), two artificial lakes or reservoirs (created after excavation activities before 20 years) and the Gulf of Riga seaside Vecāķi beach (littoral), all of which are located in the city of Riga or close to it. Analysis of samples was conducted from April til October 2014 by epifluorescense microscopy for pico and nanoplankton (DAPI staining), and by inverted microscopy (Lugol’s fixation) for planktonic ciliates. SYBER green for DNS staining was used to examine population structure in a qualitative way by the cytometre Facs Jazz FCM. The obtained results illustrate that the studied aquatic ecosystems have different impact of eutrophication: the mean seasonal trophic status index value was higher in Lake Bābelītis (5.22) than in Lake Gaiļezers (4.57), Saurieši reservoir (4.76) and Bolderāja reservoir (4.22). In Bolderāja reservoir, picoplankton density reached maximum development (192 thous.cells/mL). The nanoplankton consists mainly of autotrophic flagellates, and their abundance was positively related with increasing size structure groups. During seasonal succession stages, ciliates of the size group less than 30 μ are well presented and could be analysed by flow cytometry together with pico and nanoplankton. Bolderāja reservoir could serve as reference site against lakes Gaiļezers and Bābelītis due to less eutrophication impact.

Microbial food web components, bulk metabolism, and single-cell physiology of piconeuston in surface microlayers of high-altitude lakes

Sharp boundaries in the physical environment are usually associated with abrupt shifts in organism abundance, activity, and diversity. Aquatic surface microlayers (SML) form a steep gradient between two contrasted environments, the atmosphere and surface waters, where they regulate the gas exchange between both environments. They usually harbor an abundant and active microbial life: the neuston. Few ecosystems are subjected to such a high UVR regime as high altitude lakes during summer. Here, we measured bulk estimates of heterotrophic activity, community structure and single-cell physiological properties by flow cytometry in 19 high-altitude remote Pyrenean lakes and compared the biological processes in the SML with those in the underlying surface waters. Phototrophic picoplankton (PPP) populations, were generally present in high abundances and in those lakes containing PPP populations with phycoerythrin (PE), total PPP abundance was higher at the SML. Heterotrophic nanoflagellates (HNF) were also more abundant in the SML. Bacteria in the SML had lower leucine incorporation rates, lower percentages of “live” cells, and higher numbers of highly-respiring cells, likely resulting in a lower growth efficiency. No simple and direct linear relationships could be found between microbial abundances or activities and environmental variables, but factor analysis revealed that, despite their physical proximity, microbial life in SML and underlying waters was governed by different and independent processes. Overall, we demonstrate that piconeuston in high altitude lakes has specific features different from those of the picoplankton, and that they are highly affected by potential stressful environmental factors, such as high UVR radiation.

Feeding behavior of the copepod Temora turbinata: clearance rate and prey preference on the diatom and microbial food web components in coastal area

Feeding behavior of Temora turbinata was investigated through laboratory experiments with special emphasis on its food preference and consequent clearance rate on diatom and microbial components given as common natural food assemblage of coastal area (Uchiumi, Uwa Sea, Japan). Among available prey items, T. turbinata showed the highest clearance rate for Thalassiosira spp. (0.23 ± 0.08 L Temora -1 day -1 ) followed by Chaetoceros spp. (0.11 ± 0.03 L Temora -1 day -1 ), but clearance rates for other diatom, Nitzschia spp. was lower (0.03 to 0.07 L Temora -1 day -1 ). Bacterial abundances showed no response against 24-h feeding of T. turbinata. Feeding of T. turbinata on heterotrophic nanoflagellates (HNF) was appar ent when clearance rates of T. turbinata on diatoms were relatively low, but T. turbinata did not consume HNF as well as ciliates with Thalassiosira spp. of which clearance rate was highest. The results suggest that HNF and ciliates are possible supplementary prey item for T. turbinata, but their contribution as food sources can be limited by the presence of other prey items such as preferable diatom species.

Protozooplankton and its relationship with environmental conditions in 13 water bodies of the Mogi-Guaçu basin - SP, Brazil

Protozooplankton is an important component of the aquatic microbial food webs and its composition, density, and distribution reflect the chemical, physical, and biological aspects of the environment. Considering the scarce literature on freshwater protozoans in Brazil and on protozoan ecology in subtropical environments, we listed the ciliates and amoebae taxa found in 13 water bodies in São Paulo State and analyzed their abundance in relation to the environmental variables. We collected two samples in each environment, fixed immediately with mercuric chloride and stained with bromophenol blue. After microscopical analysis, 74 protozoan genera were identified and the Ciliophora were dominant in the majority of the environments. The Stichotrichia, represented mostly by the genus Halteria, occurred in all environments, and was the dominant subclass in five of them. The canonic correspondence analysis of the most frequent genera and the environmental variables showed that nitrite and nitrate were the variables that better explained the distribution of Limnostrombidium, Urotricha, and Vorticella. The densities of the genera Halteria, Coleps, and of the species Cinetochilum margaritaceum were positively affected by increasing concentrations of dissolved oxygen, particulate phosphate, conductivity, and temperature. C. margaritaceum were also negatively affected by increasing concentrations of nitrite and nitrate. Considering that we made only one sampling in each environment, the richness was high compared to the mean diversity of lakes in the São Paulo State. The Diogo Lake, located in an ecological reserve, was the richest one, confirming the need of more research on the biodiversity of more preserved environments.

Temporal variation of the small eukaryotic community in two freshwater lakes: emphasis on zoosporic fungi

AME Aquatic Microbial Ecology Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsSpecials AME 67:91-105 (2012) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/ame01592 FEATURE ARTICLE Temporal variation of the small eukaryotic community in two freshwater lakes: emphasis on zoosporic fungi Emilie Lefèvre1,2,*, Peter M. Letcher1, Martha J. Powell1 1Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487, USA 2Present address: Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27701, USA *Email: emilie.lefevre@duke.edu ABSTRACT: Applications of molecular approaches to the study of microbial eukaryotic communities in freshwater lakes are transforming our understanding of these ecosystems. One of the most unexpected discoveries is that zoosporic fungi significantly dominate the planktonic fungal diversity. Although zoosporic fungi are now recognized as an important component of aquatic microbial food webs, our knowledge of their community structure and temporal variability remains poor. The objectives of our study were (1) to compare and describe the contribution of zoosporic fungi to the eukaryotic diversity in 2 lakes differing in their trophic status during the mixing and the stratified seasons and (2) to phylogenetically identify the recovered zoosporic fungal sequences. The small eukaryotes (0.6 to 8 µm) of the euphotic zone of the oligotrophic Lake Tuscaloosa and meso-eutrophic Lake Lurleen (Alabama, USA) were collected over 1 yr. Analyses of the 28S rDNA clone libraries showed that zoosporic fungi dominated the small planktonic fungal community and were more diverse in the meso-eutrophic lake and during the thermal stratification. Although the overall structure of the eukaryotic community was similar between the 2 lakes, at lower taxonomic levels, community composition differed. Analyses of the retrieved fungal sequences revealed that zoosporic fungi mostly affiliated with Rhizophydiales and Chytridiales or formed environmental clades. Although the phytoplanktonic community was also monitored, zoosporic fungal parasites were rarely observed on algae. These results provide new insights into the diversity and seasonality of the zoosporic fungal community in lake ecosystems. KEY WORDS: Zoosporic fungi · Molecular diversity · Temporal variation · Freshwater lakes · Plankton Full text in pdf format Information about this Feature Article Supplementary material NextCite this article as: Lefèvre E, Letcher PM, Powell MJ (2012) Temporal variation of the small eukaryotic community in two freshwater lakes: emphasis on zoosporic fungi. Aquat Microb Ecol 67:91-105. https://doi.org/10.3354/ame01592 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in AME Vol. 67, No. 2. Online publication date: October 02, 2012 Print ISSN: 0948-3055; Online ISSN: 1616-1564 Copyright © 2012 Inter-Research.

Phylogenetic and Morphological Diversity of Novel Soil Cercomonad Species with a Description of Two New Genera (Nucleocercomonas and Metabolomonas)

Cercomonads are important components of microbial food webs in soils and aquatic sediments. Here, we investigated the general morphology, behaviour, life cycle and 18S rDNA phylogeny of cercomonad cultures from a German grassland soil habitat. We describe ten new species including two new genera from 23 strains. Three Cercomonas, two Eocercomonas and three Paracercomonas species are described. Based on large phylogenetic distance and distinct morphology, we erect two novel clade B genera near the root of the cercomonad tree. Nucleocercomonas nov. gen. bears a number of characters unusual for cercomonads: Its anterior flagellum is extremely long, it mostly does not glide, and in its most frequent life stage the cell body does not attach to the substratum, but produces unattached pseudopodia. Furthermore, it has a unique nucleus with a peripheral nucleolus that attaches to the nuclear envelope opposite the basal body connection. Metabolomonas nov. gen. is extremely metabolic. It is characterized by a very high beating frequency of the anterior flagellum, fast gliding, rapid changes in shape and strong cytoplasmic streams. A new genus Brevimastigomonas is erected for the previously described species Paracercomonas anaerobica. The general morphology of cercomonad species often does not correspond with their phylogenetic position: closely related species may have a very different morphology.