2022 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Virtual Conference
March 13 - 15, 2022
5/24/2021 | 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM | Multiple trophic strategies employed by chytrids interacting with algae suggest multifarious ecosystem roles | Virtual Platform
Multiple trophic strategies employed by chytrids interacting with algae suggest multifarious ecosystem roles
Chytrids are key regulators of primary production and carbon cycling in aquatic ecosystems. Despite chytrid crashes of microalgal populations, the ecology of alga-chytrid interactions remains unresolved. To investigate drivers of chytrid infection, we isolated two fungal strains Rhizophydium sp. and Paraphysoderma sedebokerense that infect Haematococcus pluvialis. Culture-based assays indicated fungal infectivity’s dependence on temperature and algal growth stage. Further, we discovered that these fungal strains possess a noninfective lifestyle in which they feed on algal spent media or certain components of algal exudate. In culture, the chytrid’s trophic strategy appears to be regulated by organic carbon availability. Quantitative PCR of chytrid groups validated that the noninfective lifestyle is a critical component of fungal dynamics in algal-dominated systems. Genomic analysis of P. sedebokerense identified features that may underlie its trophic versatility. Ongoing work aims to resolve the mechanistic underpinnings of chytrid metabolisms, observe algal-chytrid interactions in situ and introduce new algal-associated chytrid models. Identifying the molecular mechanisms and ecological drivers controlling chytrid metabolism is critical for deciphering their complex environmental roles, and will ultimately benefit our understanding of algal production and aquatic carbon cycling.
- Biological interactions
- Ecological dynamics
- Species interactions
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Presenters/Authors
Christopher Ward
(), Bowling Green State University, chrward@bgsu.edu;
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Michael Thelen
(), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, thelen1@llnl.gov;
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Rhona Stuart
(), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, stuart25@llnl.gov;
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