M. Dunthorn

The windblown: possible explanations for dinophyte DNA in forest soils

The paper analyzes environmental DNA metabarcoding data to show dinophyte DNA in forest soils likely comes from windblown aquatic species, not active terrestrial residents.

Evaluating geographic variation within molecular operational taxonomic units (OTUs) using network analyses in Scandinavian lakes

The paper evaluates geographic variation within molecular operational taxonomic units using network analyses on metabarcoding data from Scandinavian lakes and finds no assortative clustering or increased connectivity between neighboring lakes.

Relating network analyses to phylogenetic relatedness to infer protistan co-occurrences and co-exclusions in marine and terrestrial environments

The paper analyzes co-occurrence and co-exclusion networks of protists using phylogenetic relatedness to infer environmental filtering and dispersal limitations in marine and terrestrial environments.

Planktonic Protist Biodiversity and Biogeography in Lakes From Four Brazilian River-Floodplain Systems

The paper samples and analyzes planktonic protist communities in four Brazilian river-floodplain lake systems using metabarcoding, revealing high diversity and low community similarity.

Persistent patterns of high alpha and low beta diversity in tropical parasitic and free-living protists

The paper examines biogeographic patterns of soil protists in Neotropical rainforests, finding high alpha and low beta diversity for parasitic and free-living protists.

Yeasts Dominate Soil Fungal Communities In Three Lowland Neotropical Rainforests

The paper uses environmental metabarcoding to show that yeasts dominate fungal communities in three Neotropical rainforests, with implications for biogeographic patterns.

Meiotic Genes In Colpodean Ciliates Support Secretive Sexuality

The paper shows that colpodean ciliates have meiotic genes under functional constraint, suggesting they are sexual despite being thought asexual.

Soil Protists in Three Neotropical Rainforests are Hyperdiverse and Dominated by Parasites

The paper investigates protist diversity in Neotropical rainforest soils, finding them hyperdiverse and dominated by parasitic Apicomplexa, which may influence animal diversity.