Chloroplast phylogenomic analyses reveal the deepest-branching lineage of the Chlorophyta, Palmophyllophyceae class. nov.

The green plants (Viridiplantae) are an ancient group of eukaryotes comprising two main clades: the Chlorophyta, which includes a wide diversity of green algae, and the Streptophyta, which consists of freshwater green algae and the land plants. The early-diverging lineages of the Viridiplantae comprise unicellular algae, and multicellularity has evolved independently in the two clades. Recent molecular data have revealed an unrecognized early-diverging lineage of green plants, the Palmophyllales, with a unique form of multicellularity, and typically found in deep water. The phylogenetic position of this enigmatic group, however, remained uncertain. Here we elucidate the evolutionary affinity of the Palmophyllales using chloroplast genomic, and nuclear rDNA data. Phylogenetic analyses firmly place the palmophyllalean Verdigellas peltata along with species of Prasinococcales (prasinophyte clade VI) in the deepest-branching clade of the Chlorophyta. The small, compact and intronless chloroplast genome (cpDNA) of V. peltata shows striking similarities in gene content and organization with the cpDNAs of Prasinococcales and the streptophyte Mesostigma viride, indicating that cpDNA architecture has been extremely well conserved in these deep-branching lineages of green plants. The phylogenetic distinctness of the Palmophyllales-Prasinococcales clade, characterized by unique ultrastructural features, warrants recognition of a new class of green plants, Palmophyllophyceae class. nov

Contrasting Geographical Distributions as a Result of Thermal Tolerance and Long-Distance Dispersal in Two Allegedly Widespread Tropical Brown Algae

BackgroundMany tropical marine macroalgae are reported from all three ocean basins, though these very wide distributions may simply be an artifact resulting from inadequate taxonomy that fails to take into account cryptic diversity. Alternatively, pantropical distributions challenge the belief of limited intrinsic dispersal capacity of marine seaweeds and the effectiveness of the north-south oriented continents as dispersal barriers. We aimed to re-assess the distribution of two allegedly circumtropical brown algae, Dictyota ciliolata and D. crenulata, and interpret the realized geographical range of the respective species in relation to their thermal tolerance and major tectonic and climatic events during the Cenozoic.Methodology/Principal FindingsSpecies delimitation was based on 184 chloroplast encoded psbA sequences, using a Generalized Mixed Yule Coalescent method. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred by analyzing a six-gene dataset. Divergence times were estimated using relaxed molecular clock methods and published calibration data. Distribution ranges of the species were inferred from DNA-confirmed records, complemented with credible literature data and herbarium vouchers. Temperature tolerances of the species were determined by correlating distribution records with local SST values. We found considerable conflict between traditional and DNA-based species definitions. Dictyota crenulata consists of several pseudocryptic species, which have restricted distributions in the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Central America. In contrast, the pantropical distribution of D. ciliolata is confirmed and linked to its significantly wider temperature tolerance.Conclusions/SignificanceTectonically driven rearrangements of physical barriers left an unequivocal imprint on the current diversity patterns of marine macroalgae, as witnessed by the D. crenulata–complex. The nearly circumglobal tropical distribution of D. ciliolata, however, demonstrates that the north-south oriented continents do not present absolute dispersal barriers for species characterized by wide temperature tolerances

Natural history specimens collected and/or identified and deposited.

Natural history specimen data collected and/or identified by Ana Tronholm, <a href="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0151-2804">https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0151-2804</a>. Claims or attributions were made on Bionomia, <a href="http://bionomia.net">https://bionomia.net</a> using specimen data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, <a href="https://gbif.org">https://gbif.org</a>

Algblomningar Sverige - 2022

Dataset containing images of algal blooms in the Baltic Sea. The data is provided with a metadata description containing time spotted, comments, municipality, county and coordinates of each image. The images and metadata file are archived in a zip package. Images show various summer surface accumulations of so-called harmful algal blooms (HABs) or nuisance blooms. Typically, these blooms consists of species of cyanobacteria of the order of Nostocales, including toxic Nodularia and Aphanizomenon. These blooms were verified by Informationscentralen (Länsstyrelsen Stockholm and Länsstyrelsen Västerbotten). However, the blooms seen in the images have not been taxonomically annotated by microscopy nor genetic analysis. The following data fields are contained in the metadata files (provided in both json and csv format): report_id: unique identifier for reporting record, type: string time_spotted: date that bloom was spotted, type: datetime algae_overview_photo: url to overview photo submitted, type: string algae_detail_photo: url to detailed photo submitted, type: string comments: Any additional information relating to the bloom, type: string lat: Latitude of position where bloom was seen, type: float long: Longitude of position where bloom was seen, type: float place: County where bloom was spotted, type: string kommun: Municipality where bloom was spotted, type: string Total observations: 161 Note: Not every observation has an accompanying image and others were verified using other information provided. Two of the submitted photographs for 2022 contained unintentionally collected personal data. They have been excluded from this dataset to make open data publishing possible.Dataset som innehåller bilder av algblomning i Östersjön. Uppgifterna är försedda med en metadatabeskrivning som innehåller tidpunkt, kommentarer, kommun, län och koordinater för varje bild. Bilderna och metadatafilen arkiveras i ett zip-paket. Bilderna visar olika sommarytansamlingar av så kallade skadliga algblomningar (HAB) eller störande blomningar. Vanligtvis består dessa blomningar av arter av cyanobakterier av ordning Nostocales, inklusive de giftiga Nodularia och Aphanizomenon. Dessa blomningar har verifierats av Informationscentralen (Länsstyrelsen Stockholm och Länsstyrelsen Västerbotten). Blomningen som syns på bilderna har dock inte fastställts taxonomiskt genom mikroskopi eller genetisk analys. Följande datafält finns i metadatafilerna (tillhandahålls i både json- och csv-format): report_id: unik identifierare för rapporteringspost, typ: textsträng time_spotted: datum då blomningen sågs, typ: datetime algae_overview_photo: url till översiktsfoto inskickad, typ: textsträng algae_detail_photo: url till detaljerat foto skickat, typ: textsträng kommentarer: All ytterligare information som rör blomningen, typ: textsträng lat: Latitud för position där blomningen sågs, typ: float long: Longitud för position där blomningen sågs, typ: float plats: Län där blomning sågs, typ: textsträng kommun: Kommun där blomningen sågs, typ: textsträng Totalt antal observationer: 161 Obs: Alla observationer har inte en tillhörande bild och andra har verifierats med hjälp av annan information som tillhandahålls. Två inrapporterade fotografier för 2022 hade oavsiktligt insamlad persondata i sig och dessa har därför exkluderats ur detta dataset för att möjliggöra publicering av öppna forskningsdata

Algblomningar Sverige - 2021

Dataset containing images of algal blooms in the Baltic Sea. The data is provided with a metadata description containing time spotted, comments, municipality, county and coordinates of each image. The images and metadata file are archived in a zip package. Images show various summer surface accumulations of so-called harmful algal blooms (HABs) or nuisance blooms. Typically, these blooms consists of species of cyanobacteria of the order of Nostocales, including toxic Nodularia and Aphanizomenon. These blooms were verified by Informationscentralen (Länsstyrelsen Stockholm and Länsstyrelsen Västerbotten). However, the blooms seen in the images have not been taxonomically annotated by microscopy nor genetic analysis. The following data fields are contained in the metadata files (provided in both json and csv format): report_id: unique identifier for reporting record, type: string time_spotted: date that bloom was spotted, type: datetime algae_overview_photo: url to overview photo submitted, type: string algae_detail_photo: url to detailed photo submitted, type: string comments: Any additional information relating to the bloom, type: string lat: Latitude of position where bloom was seen, type: float long: Longitude of position where bloom was seen, type: float place: County where bloom was spotted, type: string kommun: Municipality where bloom was spotted, type: string Total observations: 251 Notes: Not every observation has an accompanying image and others were verified using other information provided. One of the submitted photographs for 2021 contained unintentionally collected personal data. It has been excluded from this dataset to make open data publishing possible.Dataset som innehåller bilder av algblomning i Östersjön. Uppgifterna är försedda med en metadatabeskrivning som innehåller tidpunkt, kommentarer, kommun, län och koordinater för varje bild. Bilderna och metadatafilen arkiveras i ett zip-paket. Bilderna visar olika sommarytansamlingar av så kallade skadliga algblomningar (HAB) eller störande blomningar. Vanligtvis består dessa blomningar av arter av cyanobakterier av ordning Nostocales, inklusive de giftiga Nodularia och Aphanizomenon. Dessa blomningar har verifierats av Informationscentralen (Länsstyrelsen Stockholm och Länsstyrelsen Västerbotten). Blomningen som syns på bilderna har dock inte fastställts taxonomiskt genom mikroskopi eller genetisk analys. Följande datafält finns i metadatafilerna (tillhandahålls i både json- och csv-format): report_id: unik identifierare för rapporteringspost, typ: textsträng time_spotted: datum då blomningen sågs, typ: datetime algae_overview_photo: url till översiktsfoto inskickad, typ: textsträng algae_detail_photo: url till detaljerat foto skickat, typ: textsträng kommentarer: All ytterligare information som rör blomningen, typ: textsträng lat: Latitud för position där blomningen sågs, typ: float long: Longitud för position där blomningen sågs, typ: float plats: Län där blomning sågs, typ: textsträng kommun: Kommun där blomningen sågs, typ: textsträng Totalt antal observationer: 251 Obs: Alla observationer har inte en tillhörande bild och andra har verifierats med hjälp av annan information som tillhandahålls. Ett inrapporterat fotografi för 2021 hade oavsiktligt insamlad persondata i sig och detta har därför exkluderats ur detta dataset för att möjliggöra publicering av öppna forskningsdata

Algal Blooms Sweden - 2023

<p>Dataset containing images of algal blooms in the Baltic Sea. The data is provided with a metadata description containing time spotted, comments, municipality, county and coordinates of each image. The images and metadata file are archived in a zip package. Images show various summer surface accumulations of so-called harmful algal blooms (HABs) or nuisance blooms. Typically, these blooms consist of species of cyanobacteria of the order of Nostocales, including toxic Nodularia and Aphanizomenon. These blooms were verified by Informationscentralen (<a href="https://www.lansstyrelsen.se/stockholm/miljo-och-vatten/vattnet-i-ostersjon---informationscentralen.html">Länstyrelsen Stockholm</a> and <a href="https://www.lansstyrelsen.se/vasterbotten/miljo-och-vatten/vattnet-i-bottniska-viken---informationscentralen-icbv.html">Länstyrelsen Västerbotten</a>). However, the blooms seen in the images have not been taxonomically annotated by microscopy nor genetic analysis. The following data fields are contained in the metadata file (provided in csv format):</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p>time_spotted: date that bloom was spotted, type: datetime</p> <p>algae_photo: url to photo submitted, type: string</p> <p>x-coord (NORTH): x-coordinate of position where bloom was seen, type: float</p> <p>y-coord (EAST): y-coordinate of position where bloom was seen, type: float</p> <p>coord_system: Coordinate system, type: string</p> <p>place: County where bloom was spotted, type: string</p> <p>municipality: Municipality where bloom was spotted, type: string</p> <p><strong><br>Total observations: 60</strong></p><p>Part of subproject "Algal Blooms Sweden" within Ocean Data Factory Sweden. See Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/algalbloomssweden/) and project website (https://oceandatafactory.se/) for more information.</p&gt

Distinctive morphological features, life-cycle phases and seasonal variations in subtropical populations of Dictyota dichotoma (Dictyotales, Phaeophyceae)

Although it has been suggested that the distribution of Dictyota dichotoma is probably restricted to the European Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, its occurrence in the Canary Islands (new southernmost distribution limit) is confirmed by nuclear ribosomal sequence data (LSU rDNA). Even though D. dichotoma has been described and illustrated prominently in early studies of brown algae, the species remains difficult to characterize due to considerable morphological plasticity. An exhaustive analysis of several quantitative characters confirms significant morphological variation both seasonally and between life-cycle phases. The species may be characterized in the Canary Islands only by the following qualitative features: erect thallus attached by a single holdfast, subdichotomous branches always of similar width, straight terminal segments and smooth margins and an entirely unilayered medulla. In the Canary Islands, D. dichotoma is an aseasonal annual with at least three overlapping generations in which sporophytes and gametophytes grow simultaneously. Thallus life span seems to be less than 3 months. The species occurs throughout the year, but as cryptic microthalli in autumn. Two abundance peaks were detected with the maximum value in February (6.2 thalli m(-2)). The optimum reproductive stage (88.3% fertile specimens) occurred in winter and the maximum vegetative stage (maximum thallus length: 18.6 cm) in summer. Sporophytes outnumbered gametophytes throughout the year, with ratios decreasing from 13.2 +/- 1.1 in winter to 1.9 +/- 0.2 in summer. Gametophytes made up to 25% of the population and fertile thalli were always dominant. The populations from the Canaries exhibited a temporal displacement compared to northern populations with the favorable period in the coldest season (winter) and the resting period in the warmest season (autumn)