Metagenetic community analysis of microbial eukaryotes illuminates biogeographic patterns in deep-sea and shallow water sediments.

摘要: Microbial eukaryotes (nematodes, protists, fungi, etc., loosely referred to as meiofauna) are ubiquitous in marine sediments and probably play pivotal roles maintaining ecosystem function. Although the deep-sea benthos represents one of world's largest habitats, we lack a firm understanding biodiversity community interactions amongst meiobenthic organisms this ecosystem. Within vast environment, key questions concerning historical genetic structure species remain mystery, yet have profound implications for our global how perceive mitigate impact environmental change anthropogenic disturbance. Using metagenetic approach, present an assessment microbial eukaryote communities across depth (shallow water abyssal) ocean basins (deep-sea Pacific Atlantic). 12 sites examined, results suggest that some taxa can maintain eurybathic ranges cosmopolitan distributions, but majority appear be regionally restricted. For Operationally Clustered Taxonomic Units (OCTUs) reporting wide there appears taxonomic bias towards small subset most phyla; such may driven by specific life history traits these organisms. In addition, low divergence between geographically disparate suggests either shorter coalescence time regions or slower rates evolution oceanic While high-throughput studies allow broad patterns communities, intragenomic variation rRNA gene copies patchy coverage reference databases currently substantial challenges robust interpretations eukaryotic data sets.