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Eukaryotic pathogens (Chytridiomycota and Oomycota) infecting marine microphytobenthic diatoms – a methodological comparison
Author(s) -
Scholz Bettina,
Küpper Frithjof C.,
Vyverman Wim,
Karsten Ulf
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1111/jpy.12230
Subject(s) - biology , oomycete , diatom , benthic zone , chytridiomycota , taxon , botany , ecology , microbiology and biotechnology , pathogen , ascomycota , biochemistry , gene
Using sediment samples from the S olthörn tidal flat (southern N orth S ea, G ermany), collected in bi‐weekly intervals from J une to J uly 2012, a range of qualitative and quantitative screening methods for oomycete and chytrid pathogens infecting benthic diatoms were evaluated. Pre‐treatment of sediment samples using short ultrasound pulses and gradient centrifugation, in combination with C alco F luor White, showed the best results in the visualization of both pathogen groups. The highest number of infected benthic diatoms was observed in mid J uly (5.8% of the total benthic diatom community). Most infections were caused by chytrids and, in a few cases, oomycetes ( L agenisma D rebes (host: C oscinodiscus radiatus E hrenberg) and E ctrogella Zopf (hosts: D imeregramma minor in P ritchard and G yrosigma peisonis ). Among the chytrids, sporangium morphology indicated the presence of five different morphotypes, infecting mainly epipelic taxa of the orders N aviculales (e.g., N avicula digitoradiata ) and A chnanthales (e.g., A chnanthes brevipes A gardh). The presence of multiple pathogens in several epipelic diatom taxa suggests a significant role for fungal parasitism in affecting microphytobenthic diatom succession.