Cyanidiales diversity in Yellowstone National Park

A groundbreaking study reveals that soil moisture is a critical factor influencing the distribution and viability of Cyanidiales, an order of unicellular red algae thriving in acidic geothermal environments. Researchers identified two distinct phylogenetic lineages—Cyanidioschyzon and Galdieria—in Yellowstone National Park (YNP), with Cyanidioschyzon dominating aqueous, moist soil, and endolithic habitats, while Galdieria was absent from aquatic environments but present in soil and rock samples. Notably, the study found no evidence of Cyanidium or Galdieria phlegrea in prime Cyanidiales habitats, challenging previous assumptions about their distribution. Using culture-dependent methods and environmental PCR surveys across YNP, the research provides the first in situ evidence linking gravimetric moisture to algal habitat preference, advancing our understanding of extremophile ecology in geothermally active regions.

Skorupa, D. J., Reeb, V., Castenholz, R. W., Bhattacharya, D., & McDermott, T. R. (2013). Cyanidiales diversity in Yellowstone National Park. Letters in Applied Microbiology, 57(5), 459–466. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/lam.12135