Hidden biodiversity associated with Pyrrhobryum spiniforme (Hedw.) Mitt (Bryophyta, Rhizogoniaceae) from an Atlantic Rain Forest fragment in Brazil, a molecular approach

The Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest is amongst the most threatened ecosystems on the planet, with only about 7.5 % of its original vegetation left. It is highly fragmented and with less than 50 % of its remnants protected in Protected Areas. This highly threatened biome houses a species diversity higher than the Amazon, and its high level of diversity and endemism place this forest among the top biodiversity hotspots. Mosses are known to house many other species that seek shelter in their carpets and tuffs. This diverse community associated with mosses is sometimes referred to as the Bryosphere, and studies focusing on this cryptic community are still rare. A tool that allows a fast diversity survey, especially for neglected groups, is paramount in times when the deforestation rates are ever-increasing. In this study, we applied DNA metabarcoding for the first time to investigate cryptic diversity in assemblages present in moss carpets of Pyrrhobryum spiniforme (Hedw.) Mitt in one Atlantic Rainforest fragment in Santa Catarina state, Brazil. With the use of two markers (16S and ITS2), we found DNA from 606 taxa from four kingdoms and nine phyla.

KEYWORDS:
environmental DNA; eukaryote; metabarcoding; prokaryote; subtropical; Santa Catarina