Patterns and drivers of diatom diversity and abundance in the global ocean
Abstract
Abstract Diatoms constitute one of the most diverse and ecologically important phytoplankton groups, yet their large-scale diversity patterns and drivers of abundance are unclear due to limited observations. Here, we utilize Tara Oceans molecular and morphological data, spanning pole to pole, to describe marine diatom diversity, abundance, and environmental adaptation and acclimation strategies. The dominance of diatoms among phytoplankton in terms of relative abundance and diversity is confirmed, and the most prevalent genera are Chaetoceros , Thalassiosira , Actinocyclus and Pseudo-nitzschia . We define 25 distinct diatom communities with varying environmental preferences illustrative of different life strategies. The Arctic Ocean stands out as a diatom hotspot with 6 of the diatom communities being exclusive to it. Light harvesting and photoprotection are among the cellular functions in which natural diatom populations invest the bulk of their transcriptional efforts. This comprehensive study sheds light on marine diatom distributions, offering insights to assess impacts of global change and oceanic anthropogenic impacts.
Article Details
Authors (38)
Juan J. Pierella Karlusich
Karen Cosnier
Lucie Zinger
Nicolas Henry
Charlotte Nef
Guillaume Bernard
Eleonora Scalco
Etienne Dvorak
Silvia G. Acinas
Marcel Babin
Peer Bork
Emmanuel Boss
Guy Cochrane
Colomban de Vargas
Gabriel Gorsky
Nigel Grimsley
Lionel Guidi
Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche
Daniele Iudicone
Olivier Jaillon
Stefanie Kandels
Lee Karp-Boss
Eric Karsenti
Fabrice Not
Hiroyuki Ogata
Stéphane Pesant
Nicole Poulton
Christian Sardet
Sabrina Speich
Lars Stemmann
Matthew B. Sullivan
Shinichi Sunagawa
Patrick Wincker
Fabio Rocha Jimenez Vieira
Erwan Delage
Samuel Chaffron
École Centrale Nantes, CNRS, Laboratoire des Sciences du Numérique de Nantes, UMR 6004
Sergey Ovchinnikov
Adriana Zingone
Chris Bowler