Journal
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
Volume 6, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
FRONTIERS MEDIA SA
DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2019.00131
Keywords
fungi; metagenomes; Tara ocean project; biogeography; epipelagic and mesopelagic
Funding
- University of Otago Research Grant (UORG)
- Rutherford Discovery Fellowship by the Royal Society of New Zealand
- European Research Council under the European Community [268595]
- Austrian Science Fund (FWF) [I486-B09]
- European Research Council (ERC) [268595] Funding Source: European Research Council (ERC)
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Fungal contributions to ecosystem processes are well documented for terrestrial systems yet oceans, which account for most of the Earth's surface, have remained poorly explored with regards to organisms in this kingdom. Here, we demonstrate that, although in low relative abundance (i.e., fungal reads made up 1.4-2.9% of the metagenomes), fungi contribute to both phylogenetic and functional microbial diversity with a conserved fungal presence in global marine samples. Universally distributed taxa and functions implicate them in complex carbon and fatty acid metabolism, with depth stratification along pelagic zones. Functional differences in observed genes between epipelagic and mesopelagic waters indicate changes in UV protection, shift to carbohydrate limited diets, as well as alternative energy sources. Metagenomic data also provided evidence for a latitudinal gradient in fungal diversity linked to temperature shifts. Our results suggest that fungi contribute to multiple biogeochemical cycles in the pelagic ocean, and could be integral for ecosystem functioning through provision of key nutrients.
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