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Widespread green algae Chlorella and Stichococcus exhibit polar-temperate and tropical-temperate biogeography.

Authors :
Hodač L
Hallmann C
Spitzer K
Elster J
Faßhauer F
Brinkmann N
Lepka D
Diwan V
Friedl T
Source :
FEMS microbiology ecology [FEMS Microbiol Ecol] 2016 Aug; Vol. 92 (8). Date of Electronic Publication: 2016 Jun 07.
Publication Year :
2016

Abstract

Chlorella and Stichococcus are morphologically simple airborne microalgae, omnipresent in terrestrial and aquatic habitats. The minute cell size and resistance against environmental stress facilitate their long-distance dispersal. However, the actual distribution of Chlorella- and Stichococcus-like species has so far been inferred only from ambiguous morphology-based evidence. Here we contribute a phylogenetic analysis of an expanded SSU and ITS2 rDNA sequence dataset representing Chlorella- and Stichococcus-like species from terrestrial habitats of polar, temperate and tropical regions. We aim to uncover biogeographical patterns at low taxonomic levels. We found that psychrotolerant strains of Chlorella and Stichococcus are closely related with strains originating from the temperate zone. Species closely related to Chlorella vulgaris and Muriella terrestris, and recovered from extreme terrestrial environments of polar regions and hot deserts, are particularly widespread. Stichococcus strains from the temperate zone, with their closest relatives in the tropics, differ from strains with the closest relatives being from the polar regions. Our data suggest that terrestrial Chlorella and Stichococcus might be capable of intercontinental dispersal; however, their actual distributions exhibit biogeographical patterns.<br /> (© FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1574-6941
Volume :
92
Issue :
8
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
FEMS microbiology ecology
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
27279416
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiw122