The succession of epiphytic microalgae conditions fungal community composition: how chytrids respond to blooms of dinoflagellates

This study aims to investigate the temporal dynamics of the epiphytic protist community on macroalgae, during the summer months, with a specific focus on fungi, and the interactions between zoosporic chytrid parasites and the proliferation of the dinoflagellates. We employed a combination of environmental sequencing techniques, incubation of natural samples, isolation of target organisms and laboratory experiments. Metabarcoding sequencing revealed changes in the dominant members of the epiphytic fungal community. Initially, fungi comprised