Patterns and drivers of diatom diversity and abundance in the global ocean

Abstract

Diatoms constitute one of the most diverse and ecologically important phytoplankton groups, yet their large-scale diversity patterns and drivers of abundance are unclear due to limited observations. Here, we utilizeTaraOceans molecular and morphological data, spanning pole to pole, to describe marine diatom diversity, abundance, and environmental adaptation and acclimation strategies. The dominance of diatoms among phytoplankton in terms of relative abundance and diversity was confirmed, and the most prevalent genera wereChaetoceros,Thalassiosira,ActinocyclusandPseudo-nitzschia. We defined 25 distinct diatom communities with varying environmental preferences illustrative of different life strategies. The Arctic Ocean stands out as a diatom hotspot with 6 of the diatom communities being exclusive to it. Light harvesting and photoprotection were among the cellular functions in which natural diatom populations invested the bulk of their transcriptional efforts. The biogeography of diatom lineages was consistent with their copy number for genes related to photoacclimation. This comprehensive study sheds light on marine diatom distributions, offering insights amid global change and oceanic anthropogenic impacts.