On the phenology of protists: Recurrent patterns reveal seasonal variation of protistan (Rhizaria: Cercozoa, Endomyxa) communities in tree canopies

• DOI: 10.1101/2021.02.15.431229
• Publication Date: 2021-02-16T21:50:14Z
• Authors: Susanne Walden; Robin-Tobias Jauss; Kai Feng; Anna Maria Fiore-...; Kenneth Dumack; Stefan Schaffer; Ronny Wolf; Martin Schlegel; Michael Bonkowski
• Keywords: Seasonality; Propagule; Plant litter

Abstract Tree canopies are colonized by billions of highly specialized microorganisms that well adapted to the extreme microclimatic conditions, caused diurnal fluctuations and seasonal changes. In this study we investigated seasonality patterns protists in tree a temperate floodplain forest via high-throughput sequencing with group-specific primers for phyla Cercozoa Endomyxa. We observed consistent identified divergent spring autumn taxa. crowns were characterized dominance bacterivores omnivores, while eukaryvores gained distinctly larger share litter soil communities on ground. Seasonality was largest among detected foliar surface. Higher variance within alpha diversity indicated greater heterogeneity during community assembly. However, underwent distinct changes aging leaves autumn, reflecting recurring phenological microbial colonization leaves. Surprisingly, endomyxan root pathogens appeared be exceptionally abundant across season, demonstrating potential role canopy surface as an important reservoir wind-dispersed propagules. Overall, about 80% OTUs could not assigned known species – representing only fraction dozens microeukaryotic taxa whose inhabitants waiting discovered.