Hydrological regimes and Niche Partitioning Drive Fungal Community Structure and Function in Arid Wetlands Sediments of South Africa DOI
Henry Joseph Oduor Ogola, Grace N. Ijoma, Joshua N. Edokpayi

et al.

Research Square (Research Square), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 2, 2025

Abstract Arid wetlands are ecologically significant yet understudied ecosystems shaped by extreme conditions and hydrological variability. However, the structure ecological functional of fungal communities in these habitats remain poorly understood, especially southern Africa. This study integrated shotgun metagenomics, FUNGuild profiling, multivariate analyses to examine diversity, composition, environmental drivers seasonal permanent arid South Distinct assemblages emerged, primarily regimes ionic stress. Seasonal were dominated Mucoromycota (79%), particularly arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus (Rhizophagus, 62%), while had higher Ascomycota (54%), with Aspergillus (50%) prevalent oxygen-limited sediments. Although alpha diversity showed no difference, beta confirmed mycobiome differentiation. Total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), salinity key predictors TDS strongest determinant (P < 0.01). Functional guild analysis highlighted niche differentiation, saprotrophs dominating (59.7% vs. 21.5%; P 0.05), symbiotrophs, AM fungi, enriched (69.3% 36.1%; 0.001). Indicator taxa identified via LefSe (LDA > 3, 0.05) random forest modeling included Rhizophagus, Trichoderma, Fusarium, Entomophthora wetlands, wetlands. provides first integrative insight into ecology Africa’s demonstrating that regime shapes function through filtering specialization, implications for guiding conservation adaptive management fragile ecosystems.

Language: Английский

Hydrological regimes and Niche Partitioning Drive Fungal Community Structure and Function in Arid Wetlands Sediments of South Africa DOI
Henry Joseph Oduor Ogola, Grace N. Ijoma, Joshua N. Edokpayi

et al.

Research Square (Research Square), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 2, 2025

Abstract Arid wetlands are ecologically significant yet understudied ecosystems shaped by extreme conditions and hydrological variability. However, the structure ecological functional of fungal communities in these habitats remain poorly understood, especially southern Africa. This study integrated shotgun metagenomics, FUNGuild profiling, multivariate analyses to examine diversity, composition, environmental drivers seasonal permanent arid South Distinct assemblages emerged, primarily regimes ionic stress. Seasonal were dominated Mucoromycota (79%), particularly arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus (Rhizophagus, 62%), while had higher Ascomycota (54%), with Aspergillus (50%) prevalent oxygen-limited sediments. Although alpha diversity showed no difference, beta confirmed mycobiome differentiation. Total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), salinity key predictors TDS strongest determinant (P < 0.01). Functional guild analysis highlighted niche differentiation, saprotrophs dominating (59.7% vs. 21.5%; P 0.05), symbiotrophs, AM fungi, enriched (69.3% 36.1%; 0.001). Indicator taxa identified via LefSe (LDA > 3, 0.05) random forest modeling included Rhizophagus, Trichoderma, Fusarium, Entomophthora wetlands, wetlands. provides first integrative insight into ecology Africa’s demonstrating that regime shapes function through filtering specialization, implications for guiding conservation adaptive management fragile ecosystems.

Language: Английский

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