A Call for a Better Understanding of Aquatic Chytrid Biology

The phylum Chytridiomycota (the “chytrids”) is an early-diverging, mostly unicellular, lineage of fungi that consists significant aquatic saprotrophs, parasites, and pathogens, evolutionary interest because its members retain biological traits considered ancestral in the fungal kingdom. While existence chytrids has long been known, their fundamental biology received relatively little attention. We are beginning to establish a detailed understanding chytrid diversity insights into ecological functions prominence. However, underpinning governing activities associated core processes remain largely understudied therefore unresolved. Many questions outstanding for chytrids. What mechanisms control development life cycle? Which underpin influence? can tell us about evolution wider eukaryotic tree life? propose field ecology could be further advanced through improved biology, including model targeted studies using culture-independent approaches.