Evidence for regional aeolian transport of freshwater micrometazoans in arid regions

• DOI: 10.1002/lol2.10072
• Publication Date: 2018-03-15T11:07:11Z
• Authors: J. A. Rivas; J. E. Mohl; R. S. Van Pelt; M.‐Y. Leung; R. L. Wallace; T. E. Gill; E. J. Walsh
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; 13. Climate action; GC1-1581; 15. Life on land; Oceanography; 01 natural sciences; 3. Good health

While separated by large expanses of dry terrain unsuitable for aquatic biota, aridland waters possess high biodiversity. How micrometazoans disperse to, and colonize, these isolated ephemeral habitats are not well understood. We used a multi-faceted approach including wind tunnel rehydration experiments, next-generation sequencing to assess potential movement diapausing propagules invertebrates anemochory across regional scales (102-105 km). Wind experiments using playa sediments with added micrometazoan demonstrated that after entrainment saltation downwind transport were subsequently recoverable as viable animals when rehydrated. Further, fallen natural dust yielded micrometazoans, rotifers, gastrotrichs, microcrustaceans, nematodes. Using conserved DNA primers, we identified >3,300 eukaryotic Operational Taxonomic Units (excluding fungi) in the some taxa found experiments. Thus, provide strong evidence can among isolated, ecosystems North American deserts likely elsewhere.