Taxonomic and Functional Diversity of Heterotrophic Protists (Cercozoa and Endomyxa) from Biological Soil Crusts
Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) accommodate diverse communities of phototrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms. Heterotrophic protists have critical roles in the microbial food webs of soils, with Cercozoa and Endomyxa often being dominant groups. Still, the diversity, community composition, an...
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/2/205 |
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| author | Samira Khanipour Roshan Kenneth Dumack Michael Bonkowski Peter Leinweber Ulf Karsten Karin Glaser |
| author_facet | Samira Khanipour Roshan Kenneth Dumack Michael Bonkowski Peter Leinweber Ulf Karsten Karin Glaser |
| author_sort | Samira Khanipour Roshan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) accommodate diverse communities of phototrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms. Heterotrophic protists have critical roles in the microbial food webs of soils, with Cercozoa and Endomyxa often being dominant groups. Still, the diversity, community composition, and functions of Cercozoa and Endomyxa in biocrusts have been little explored. In this study, using a high-throughput sequencing method with taxon-specific barcoded primers, we studied cercozoan and endomyxan communities in biocrusts from two unique habitats (subarctic grassland and temperate dunes). The communities differed strongly, with the grassland and dunes being dominated by Sarcomonadea (69%) and Thecofilosea (43%), respectively. Endomyxa and Phytomyxea were the minor components in dunes. Sandonidae, Allapsidae, and Rhogostomidae were the most abundant taxa in both habitats. In terms of functionality, up to 69% of the grassland community was constituted by bacterivorous Cercozoa. In contrast, cercozoan and endomyxan communities in dunes consisted of 31% bacterivores, 25% omnivores, and 20% eukaryvores. Facultative and obligate eukaryvores mostly belonged to the families Rhogostomidae, Fiscullidae, Euglyphidae, Leptophryidae, and Cercomonadidae, most of which are known to feed mainly on algae. Biocrust edaphic parameters such as pH, total organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus did not have any significant influence on shaping cercozoan communities within each habitat, which confirms previous results from dunes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:14:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-281ef33be2b44c32a62ce5df0fec24e7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:14:48Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj.art-281ef33be2b44c32a62ce5df0fec24e72023-12-03T13:55:17ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072021-01-019220510.3390/microorganisms9020205Taxonomic and Functional Diversity of Heterotrophic Protists (Cercozoa and Endomyxa) from Biological Soil CrustsSamira Khanipour Roshan0Kenneth Dumack1Michael Bonkowski2Peter Leinweber3Ulf Karsten4Karin Glaser5Institute for Biological Sciences, Applied Ecology and Phycology, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, 18059 Rostock, GermanyInstitute of Zoology, Terrestrial Ecology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, 50674 Cologne, GermanyInstitute of Zoology, Terrestrial Ecology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, 50674 Cologne, GermanyFaculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Soil Science, University of Rostock, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 6, 18059 Rostock, GermanyInstitute for Biological Sciences, Applied Ecology and Phycology, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, 18059 Rostock, GermanyInstitute for Biological Sciences, Applied Ecology and Phycology, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 3, 18059 Rostock, GermanyBiological soil crusts (biocrusts) accommodate diverse communities of phototrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms. Heterotrophic protists have critical roles in the microbial food webs of soils, with Cercozoa and Endomyxa often being dominant groups. Still, the diversity, community composition, and functions of Cercozoa and Endomyxa in biocrusts have been little explored. In this study, using a high-throughput sequencing method with taxon-specific barcoded primers, we studied cercozoan and endomyxan communities in biocrusts from two unique habitats (subarctic grassland and temperate dunes). The communities differed strongly, with the grassland and dunes being dominated by Sarcomonadea (69%) and Thecofilosea (43%), respectively. Endomyxa and Phytomyxea were the minor components in dunes. Sandonidae, Allapsidae, and Rhogostomidae were the most abundant taxa in both habitats. In terms of functionality, up to 69% of the grassland community was constituted by bacterivorous Cercozoa. In contrast, cercozoan and endomyxan communities in dunes consisted of 31% bacterivores, 25% omnivores, and 20% eukaryvores. Facultative and obligate eukaryvores mostly belonged to the families Rhogostomidae, Fiscullidae, Euglyphidae, Leptophryidae, and Cercomonadidae, most of which are known to feed mainly on algae. Biocrust edaphic parameters such as pH, total organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus did not have any significant influence on shaping cercozoan communities within each habitat, which confirms previous results from dunes.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/2/205Cercozoaeukaryvoryfeeding behaviorfunctional traitssoil food web |
| spellingShingle | Samira Khanipour Roshan Kenneth Dumack Michael Bonkowski Peter Leinweber Ulf Karsten Karin Glaser Taxonomic and Functional Diversity of Heterotrophic Protists (Cercozoa and Endomyxa) from Biological Soil Crusts Microorganisms Cercozoa eukaryvory feeding behavior functional traits soil food web |
| title | Taxonomic and Functional Diversity of Heterotrophic Protists (Cercozoa and Endomyxa) from Biological Soil Crusts |
| title_full | Taxonomic and Functional Diversity of Heterotrophic Protists (Cercozoa and Endomyxa) from Biological Soil Crusts |
| title_fullStr | Taxonomic and Functional Diversity of Heterotrophic Protists (Cercozoa and Endomyxa) from Biological Soil Crusts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Taxonomic and Functional Diversity of Heterotrophic Protists (Cercozoa and Endomyxa) from Biological Soil Crusts |
| title_short | Taxonomic and Functional Diversity of Heterotrophic Protists (Cercozoa and Endomyxa) from Biological Soil Crusts |
| title_sort | taxonomic and functional diversity of heterotrophic protists cercozoa and endomyxa from biological soil crusts |
| topic | Cercozoa eukaryvory feeding behavior functional traits soil food web |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/2/205 |
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