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Review
. 2022 Oct 28;8(11):1141.
doi: 10.3390/jof8111141.

Ecological and Oceanographic Perspectives in Future Marine Fungal Taxonomy

Affiliations
Review

Ecological and Oceanographic Perspectives in Future Marine Fungal Taxonomy

Nalin N Wijayawardene et al. J Fungi (Basel). .

Abstract

Marine fungi are an ecological rather than a taxonomic group that has been widely researched. Significant progress has been made in documenting their phylogeny, biodiversity, ultrastructure, ecology, physiology, and capacity for degradation of lignocellulosic compounds. This review (concept paper) summarizes the current knowledge of marine fungal diversity and provides an integrated and comprehensive view of their ecological roles in the world's oceans. Novel terms for 'semi marine fungi' and 'marine fungi' are proposed based on the existence of fungi in various oceanic environments. The major maritime currents and upwelling that affect species diversity are discussed. This paper also forecasts under-explored regions with a greater diversity of marine taxa based on oceanic currents. The prospects for marine and semi-marine mycology are highlighted, notably, technological developments in culture-independent sequencing approaches for strengthening our present understanding of marine fungi's ecological roles.

Keywords: culture-independent methods; marine fungal taxonomy; marine-derived fungi; obligate and facultative marine fungi; oceanic currents; upwelling.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Maximum likelihood analysis with 1000 bootstrap replicates yielded the best tree with the likelihood value of −40790.364548. The combined LSU, TEF, and ITS sequence datasets were used for analysis with Rhizopus oryzae (CBS 112.07) as the outgroup taxon. The matrix had 1782 distinct alignment patterns, with 76.28% undetermined characters or gaps. The estimated base frequencies were A = 0.242997, C = 0.241567, G = 0.277277, and T = 0.238159; the substitution rates were AC = 1.251989, AG = 2.190388, AT = 1.501627, CG = 1.053941, CT = 4.653615, and GT = 1.000000; and the gamma distribution shape parameter was α = 0.407873. The maximum likelihood bootstrap (ML) values were ≥75% and the Bayesian posterior probabilities (PP) ≥0.95% are given above/below the nodes. The scale bar indicates 0.07 changes. The marine fungi isolates are shown in green and bold.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Maximum likelihood analysis with 1000 bootstrap replicates yielded the best tree with the likelihood value of −8256.019037. The combined LSU and ITS sequence datasets were used for analysis with Schizosaccharomyces pombe (NRRL Y-12796) as the outgroup taxon. The matrix had 828 distinct alignment patterns, with 50.42% undetermined characters or gaps. The estimated base frequencies were A = 0.277031, C = 0.186671, G = 0.251694, and T = 0.284604; the substitution rates were AC = 0.632253, AG = 1.870647, AT = 1.340467, CG = 0.776808, CT = 4.053598, and GT = 1.000000; and the gamma distribution shape parameter was α = 0.771407. The maximum likelihood bootstrap (ML) values were ≥75% and the Bayesian posterior probabilities (PP) ≥ 0.95% are given above/below the nodes. The scale bar indicates 0.07 changes. The marine fungi isolates are shown in red and bold.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Different habitats and ecosystems for marine fungi.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Different habitats hosting fungal marine fungi: (AJ,M), terrestrial-coastal ecosystems. (K,L,N1), semi-coastal marine ecosystems. (2,3), coastal marine ecosystems. Credit: pictures (C,D,I), M.P. Hendawitharana.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Coastal marine and deep marine habitats. (AF), coastal marine ecosystems. (GL), deep marine ecosystems. Credit: pictures (AD), M.M.C. Karunarathne; pictures (E,F), P. Cárdenas.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Distribution of marine species based on the Index Fungorum, accessed on 12 September 2022; www.marinefungi.org, accessed on 10 September 2022; and oceanic currents.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Endophytic and epiphytic fungi isolated from four seagrass species at Kalpitiya lagoon, Sri Lanka (molecular characterization of these taxa is still being carried out faithfully by Rajakaruna et al., though unpublished) (courtesy of Oshadhi Rajakaruna, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka).

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