Zooplankton community composition and abundance is structured by aquatic fungi in a large estuary
This study seeks to better understand a large, recently discovered, and dynamic flux of energy in aquatic systems, the mycoloop. The mycoloop has primarily been studied in freshwater, and most commonly oligotrophic, environments and we sought evidence of its function in a large and highly productive estuary, Chesapeake Bay. In this study we provide details on the distribution and dynamics of fungi that parasitize phytoplankton in Chesapeake Bay. Additionally, we demonstrate significant relationships between parasitic fungi and the density and community composition of zooplankton in the Bay. To our knowledge we are the first to show significant correlations between specific fungal OTUs and zooplankton community composition. This study improves our understanding of how parasites interact with and structure aquatic communities, as well as providing more insight into the flow of energy in these systems.