Ecological roles of the parasitic phytomyxids (plasmodiophorids) in marine ecosystems – a review
Sigrid Neuhauser A C , Martin Kirchmair A and Frank H. Gleason B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Institute of Microbiology, Leopold Franzens–University Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
B School of Biological Sciences A12, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: Sigrid.Neuhauser@uibk.ac.at
Marine and Freshwater Research 62(4) 365-371 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF10282
Submitted: 11 November 2010 Accepted: 18 January 2011 Published: 28 April 2011
Journal Compilation © CSIRO Open Access 2011
Abstract
Phytomyxea (plasmodiophorids) is an enigmatic group of obligate biotrophic parasites. Most of the known 41 species are associated with terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. However, the potential of phytomyxean species to influence marine ecosystems either directly by causing diseases of their hosts or indirectly as vectors of viruses is enormous, although still unexplored. In all, 20% of the currently described phytomyxean species are parasites of some of the key primary producers in the ocean, such as seagrasses, brown algae and diatoms; however, information on their distribution, abundance and biodiversity is either incomplete or lacking. Phytomyxean species influence fitness by altering the metabolism and/or the reproductive success of their hosts. The resulting changes can (1) have an impact on the biodiversity within host populations, and (2) influence microbial food webs because of altered availability of nutrients (e.g. changed metabolic status of host, transfer of organic matter). Also, phytomyxean species may affect their host populations indirectly by transmitting viruses. The majority of the currently known single-stranded RNA marine viruses structurally resemble the viruses transmitted by phytomyxean species to crops in agricultural environments. Here, we explore possible ecological roles of these parasites in marine habitats; however, only the inclusion of Phytomyxea in marine biodiversity studies will allow estimation of the true impact of these species on global primary production in the oceans.
Additional keywords: biodiversity, biotrophic interaction, environmental monitoring, plant pathology, plasmodiophorid, Plasmodiophora, protist, zoospores.
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