Monitoring harmful microalgal species and their appearance in Tokyo Bay, Japan, using metabarcoding

During the recent decade, high-throughput sequencing (HTS) techniques, in particular, DNA metabarcoding, have facilitated increased detection of biodiversity, including harmful algal bloom (HAB) species. In this study, presence HAB species and their appearance patterns were investigated by employing molecular light microscopy-based monitoring Tokyo Bay, Japan. The potential co-appearance between species, as well with other eukaryotes prokaryotes using correlation association rule-based time-series analysis. total, 40 unique detected, 12 toxin-producing previously not reported from area. More than half present throughout sampling season (summer to autumn) no structuring or succession associated environmental conditions could be detected. Statistically significant (p < 0.05, r S ranging −0.88 0.90) associations found amongst eukaryotic prokaryotic genera containing growth-limiting bacteria. However, correlations differed years, indicating that variability years may a stronger influence on microalgal community structure interspecies interactions during season. analysis allowed negative relationship Synechococcus sp. Skeletonema nature. Overall, results support applicability metabarcoding HTS-based microalgae monitoring, it facilitates more precise identification compared microscopy, provides input for investigating different species/groups through simultaneous multiple species/genera.