<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Taxonomic resolution is a critical component of biodiversity assessments. In this case study, we examined a single taxon within a larger study of nematode diversity to evaluate the taxonomic resolution of different diversity assessment methods. The selected taxon was the microbial-feeding genus <italic>Plectus</italic>, a group considered to include multiple cosmopolitan species. The methods included a morphological evaluation by light microscopy, Sanger sequencing of PCR amplicons of COI and 18S gene regions, and 18S metabarcoding sequencing. The study sites were 15 remnant tallgrass prairie plots in eastern Nebraska. In the morphological analysis, we observed two basic morphotypes, a short-tailed form with a small amphid and a long-tailed form with a large amphid. Sanger sequencing of COI sorted <italic>Plectus</italic> diversity into six distinct clades. The largest two of these six clades keyed to <italic>P. parietinus</italic> and <italic>P. rhizophilus</italic> based on morphology. BLAST analysis with COI revealed no close matches in GenBank. Sanger sequencing of the 18S region did not differentiate the six clades. These results illustrate that the method of diversity assessment strongly influences estimates of biodiversity. An additional 95 <italic>Plectus</italic> specimens, from outside the remnant sites, added taxonomic breadth to the COI phylogenetic tree. There were no geographically widespread COI haplotypes and no evidence of cosmopolitan <italic>Plectus</italic> species.</p></abstract>

Taxonomic resolution is a critical component of biodiversity assessments. In this case study, we examined a single taxon within a larger study of nematode diversity to evaluate the taxonomic resolution of different diversity assessment methods. The selected taxon was the microbial-feeding genus Plectus, a group considered to include multiple cosmopolitan species. The methods included a morphological evaluation by light microscopy, Sanger sequencing of PCR amplicons of COI and 18S gene regions, and 18S metabarcoding sequencing. The study sites were 15 remnant tallgrass prairie plots in eastern Nebraska. In the morphological analysis, we observed two basic morphotypes, a short-tailed form with a small amphid and a long-tailed form with a large amphid. Sanger sequencing of COI sorted Plectus diversity into six distinct clades. The largest two of these six clades keyed to P. parietinus and P. rhizophilus based on morphology. BLAST analysis with COI revealed no close matches in GenBank. Sanger sequencing of the 18S region did not differentiate the six clades. These results illustrate that the method of diversity assessment strongly influences estimates of biodiversity. An additional 95 Plectus specimens, from outside the remnant sites, added taxonomic breadth to the COI phylogenetic tree. There were no geographically widespread COI haplotypes and no evidence of cosmopolitan Plectus species.

<italic>Plectus</italic> of the Prairie: A Case Study of Taxonomic Resolution from a Nematode Biodiversity Survey

Journal of Nematology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

 of the Prairie: A Case Study of Taxonomic Resolution from a Nematode Biodiversity Survey

Taxonomic resolution is a critical component of biodiversity assessments. In this case study, we examined a single taxon within a larger study of nematode...

Plectus of the Prairie: A Case Study of Taxonomic Resolution from a Nematode Biodiversity Survey

Article Category: Research Paper

Publié en ligne: 29 oct. 2022

Pages: -

Reçu: 31 mai 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jofnem-2022-0039

Mots clés
COI, DNA barcoding, native plant communities, nematode distribution, tallgrass prairie, taxonomy

© 2022 Borgmeier et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Plectus of the Prairie: A Case Study of Taxonomic Resolution from a Nematode Biodiversity Survey

Article Category: Research Paper

Publié en ligne: 29 oct. 2022

Pages: -

Reçu: 31 mai 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jofnem-2022-0039

Mots clésCOI, DNA barcoding, native plant communities, nematode distribution, tallgrass prairie, taxonomy

© 2022 Borgmeier et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Mots clés
COI, DNA barcoding, native plant communities, nematode distribution, tallgrass prairie, taxonomy