Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.08.07.242388v1?rss=1 Authors: Gottschling, M., Czech, L., Mahe, F., Adl, S., Dunthorn, M. Abstract: Dinophytes are widely distributed in marine- and fresh-waters, but have yet to be conclusively documented in terrestrial environments. Here we evaluated the presence of these protists from an environmental DNA metabarcoding dataset of Neotropical rainforest soils. Using a phylogenetic placement approach with a reference alignment and tree, we showed that the numerous sequencing reads that were assigned to the dinophytes did not associate with taxonomy, environmental preference, nutritional mode, or dormancy. All the dinophytes in the soils are most likely windblown dispersal units of aquatic species, and are not biologically active residents of terrestrial environments. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info