Structural Comparison of Diplonemid Communities around the Izu Peninsula, Japan

Diplonemea (diplonemids) is one of the most abundant and species-rich protist groups in marine environments; however, their community structures among local and seasonal samples have not yet been compared. In the present study, we analyzed four diplonemid community structures around the Izu Peninsula, Japan using barcode sequences amplified from environmental DNA. These sequences and the results of statistical analyses indicated that communities at the same site were more similar to each other than those in the same season. Environmental variables were also measured, and their influence on diplonemid community structures was examined. Salinity, electrical conductivity, and temperature, and their correlated variables, appeared to influence the structures of diplonemid communities, which was consistent with previous findings; however, since the results obtained did not reach statistical significance, further studies are required. A comparison of each diplonemid community indicated that some lineages were unique to specific samples, while others were consistently detected in all samples. Members of the latter type are cosmopolitan candidates and may be better adapted to the environments of the studied area. Future studies that focus on the more adaptive members will provide a more detailed understanding of the mechanisms by which diplonemids are widely distributed in marine environments and will facilitate their utilization as indicator organisms to monitor environmental changes.