Metabarcoding of environmental samples suggest wide distribution of eelgrass (Zostera marina) pathogens in the north Pacific

Seagrass meadows provide important ecological services to the marine environment but are declining worldwide. Although eelgrass in north Pacific thought be relatively healthy, few studies have assessed presence of known disease pathogens these meadows. In a pilot study test efficacy methods and foundational biodiversity data Pacific, we leveraged metabarcoding environmental DNA extracted from water, sediment, tissue samples collected five widely distributed Alaska one Japan uncovered wide prevalence two classes pathogenic organisms – Labyrinthula zosterae other associated strains , Phytophthora / Halophytophthora blight species complex caused decline ( Zostera marina ) elsewhere species’ global distribution. distribution is not well understood at least pathogen every locality sampled.