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Second-generation environmental sequencing unmasks marine metazoan biodiversity

Author

Listed:
  • Vera G. Fonseca

    (Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Environment Centre Wales, Bangor University)

  • Gary R. Carvalho

    (Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Environment Centre Wales, Bangor University)

  • Way Sung

    (Hubbard Center for Genome Studies, University of New Hampshire
    New Hampshire)

  • Harriet F. Johnson

    (Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Environment Centre Wales, Bangor University)

  • Deborah M. Power

    (CCMAR-CIMAR Associate Laboratory, Centre of Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, Gambelas)

  • Simon P. Neill

    (School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge)

  • Margaret Packer

    (The Natural History Museum)

  • Mark L. Blaxter

    (Ashworth Laboratories, Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh)

  • P. John D. Lambshead

    (National Oceanography Centre, School of Ocean and Earth Science, European Way)

  • W. Kelley Thomas

    (Hubbard Center for Genome Studies, University of New Hampshire
    New Hampshire)

  • Simon Creer

    (Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Environment Centre Wales, Bangor University)

Abstract

Biodiversity is of crucial importance for ecosystem functioning, sustainability and resilience, but the magnitude and organization of marine diversity at a range of spatial and taxonomic scales are undefined. In this paper, we use second-generation sequencing to unmask putatively diverse marine metazoan biodiversity in a Scottish temperate benthic ecosystem. We show that remarkable differences in diversity occurred at microgeographical scales and refute currently accepted ecological and taxonomic paradigms of meiofaunal identity, rank abundance and concomitant understanding of trophic dynamics. Richness estimates from the current benchmarked Operational Clustering of Taxonomic Units from Parallel UltraSequencing analyses are broadly aligned with those derived from morphological assessments. However, the slope of taxon rarefaction curves for many phyla remains incomplete, suggesting that the true alpha diversity is likely to exceed current perceptions. The approaches provide a rapid, objective and cost-effective taxonomic framework for exploring links between ecosystem structure and function of all hitherto intractable, but ecologically important, communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Vera G. Fonseca & Gary R. Carvalho & Way Sung & Harriet F. Johnson & Deborah M. Power & Simon P. Neill & Margaret Packer & Mark L. Blaxter & P. John D. Lambshead & W. Kelley Thomas & Simon Creer, 2010. "Second-generation environmental sequencing unmasks marine metazoan biodiversity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 1(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:1:y:2010:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms1095
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1095
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    Cited by:

    1. Dominique A Cowart & Miguel Pinheiro & Olivier Mouchel & Marion Maguer & Jacques Grall & Jacques Miné & Sophie Arnaud-Haond, 2015. "Metabarcoding Is Powerful yet Still Blind: A Comparative Analysis of Morphological and Molecular Surveys of Seagrass Communities," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(2), pages 1-26, February.

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