Zoosporic true fungi in marine ecosystems: a review

Although many species of zoosporic true fungi have been frequently observed and studied in freshwater and soil ecosystems, only three species have been properly identified and partially characterised from brackish and marine ecosystems, namely Rhizophydium littoreum Amon, Thalassochytrium gracilario...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Gleason, Frank H., Küpper, Frithjof C., Amon, James P., Picard, Kathryn, Gachon, Claire M. M., Marano, Agostina Virginia, Sime Ngando, Télesphore, Lilje, Osu
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2011
País:Argentina
Institución:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Repositorio:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/95950
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/11336/95950
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Chytridiomycota
Chytridium
Chytrids
Food webs
Marine algae
Olpidium
Rhizophydium
Salinity
Thalassochytrium
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
Descripción
Sumario:Although many species of zoosporic true fungi have been frequently observed and studied in freshwater and soil ecosystems, only three species have been properly identified and partially characterised from brackish and marine ecosystems, namely Rhizophydium littoreum Amon, Thalassochytrium gracilariopsis Nyvall, Pedersén et Longcore and Chytridium polysiphoniae Cohn. These species are either facultative or obligate parasites of marine macroalgae and invertebrates. Also, some species of Olpidium and Rhizophydium are parasites of small marine green algae and diatoms. Although the physiological effects of these pathogens on the growth and metabolism of their hosts are poorly understood, parasitism by C. polysiphoniae possibly affects the rates of photosynthesis and patterns of growth in infected communities of brown algae. Saprobic ecotypes of R. littoreum can also colonise dead-plant and animal substrates. Zoospores from zoosporic true fungi and other groups of microbes possibly provide important food resources for grazing and filter-feeding zooplankton and metazoans in marine ecosystems where the prevalence of disease is high or where accumulated detritus enhances biodiversity in food webs. However, quantitative studies have not yet been attempted. Recently, environmental sampling with molecular techniques has revealed unknown clades of zoosporic true fungi in extreme marine ecosystems. These fungi have been grossly under-sampled and under-studied in marine environments.