Seasonal Variation of Eukaryotic Algae Community Structure in Different Soils Along Inland Lake Coasts in Central China

Eukaryotic algae are an important component of the soil microbial community. However, there is limited knowledge about the seasonal variations in the structure of soil algal communities and the correlations between different algal groups and soil environmental factors. Based on gene sequencing of the 18S rRNA V4 region, the changes in the community structure of eukaryotic algae in three different types of soil (sandy soil, forest soil and grassland soil along urban inland lake (Wuhan, China) coast) across four seasons were analyzed, and the correlations between the major taxonomic groups and environmental factors were examined. The annotated algae were ranked by abundance as follows: Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta, Charophyta, Cryptista, Rhodophyta, Haptophyta and Glaucophyta. The top seven genera in terms of richness were: Chlamydomonas, Tetracystis, Chlorella, Chlorococcum, Coelastrum, Bracteacoccus and Desmodesmus. All soil samples tended to be neutral to alkaline. Environmental drivers for different groups were also explored. In terms of correlation, the environmental factors most related to Chlorophyta were total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and pH. Total nitrogen and water content were most related to Bacillariophyta and Charophyta. The seasonal differences in soil eukaryotic algal communities are more pronounced than the differences between soil types. Chlorophyta and Bacillariophyta are the two most abundant groups in different seasons and soil types. There is a significant difference in community composition between winter and other seasons.