Distribution of mixotrophic nanoflagellates along the latitudinal transect of the central North Pacific

To elucidate the ecological importance of mixotrophic nanoflagellates in the open ocean and the environmental factors that regulate their abundance, we surveyed latitudinal distributions of autotrophic, mixotrophic and heterotrophic nanoflagellates in the central North Pacific Ocean along a transect at 170°W. Mixotrophic nanoflagellates significantly contributed (26–64 %) to total bacterivory, as measured by the fluorescently-labeled bacteria method, from the equatorial through the subarctic regions, which reinforces the importance of mixotrophic nanoflagellates as a trophic link in the open ocean. The proportion of mixotrophic to total plastidic nanoflagellates was significantly higher in the nutrient-depleted subtropical gyre than in other regions, sometimes exceeding 10 %. Additionally, the proportion was negatively correlated with soluble reactive phosphorus concentration within the tropical and subtropical waters, suggesting that low nutrient availability could facilitate phagotrophy of plastidic nanoflagellates, which may explain the survival of nano-sized eukaryotic phytoplankton in the ultraoligotrophic water. In the subarctic regions, the proportion exhibited no obvious relationship with any environmental parameter. Conversely, the numerical proportion of mixotrophic nanoflagellates in total phagotrophic nanoflagellates (sum of mixotrophic and heterotrophic nanoflagellates) was positively correlated with nutrient concentrations. In contrast to macronutrient availability, the physical stability of the water column did not appear to affect the contribution of mixotrophic nanoflagellates.