Oomycetes, also known as water molds, belong to the kingdom Stramenopila and are a well-known group of plant pathogens and saprophytes. Important species include Phytophthora ramorum (causal agent of sudden oak death), Pythium aphanidermatum (root rot), and Phytophthora infestans (late potato blight), all major threats to the environment, agriculture, and the economy. Although many oomycete species have been found in various water sources, little is known about the correlation between the distribution and frequency of oomycetes in aquatic environments and physical chemical water parameters. The objective of this study was to detect and identify aquatic oomycetes from Marin County using repeated seasonal sampling and DNA sequencing and to analyze relevant physical chemical water characteristics such as temperature, pH, conductivity, turbidity, total suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand, and bacteriological contamination. Throughout June of 2019 to April of 2020 a total of 180 different samples were collected from nine different sampling locations throughout Marin Country. From those 180, 67 isolates (37%) grew into colonies, which were identified as 15 different species, including one Unclassified Ovatisporangium. Water quality characteristics varied across seasons and locations, and the correlation to microbial diversity has yet to be determined.
","abstract_html":"<p>Oomycetes, also known as water molds, belong to the kingdom <em>Stramenopila </em>and<em> </em>are a well-known group of plant pathogens and saprophytes. Important species include <em>Phytophthora ramorum </em>(causal agent of sudden oak death), <em>Pythium aphanidermatum</em> (root rot), and <em>Phytophthora infestans </em>(late potato blight), all major threats to the environment, agriculture, and the economy. Although many oomycete species have been found in various water sources, little is known about the correlation between the distribution and frequency of oomycetes in aquatic environments and physical chemical water parameters. The objective of this study was to detect and identify aquatic oomycetes from Marin County using repeated seasonal sampling and DNA sequencing and to analyze relevant physical chemical water characteristics such as temperature, pH, conductivity, turbidity, total suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand, and bacteriological contamination. Throughout June of 2019 to April of 2020 a total of 180 different samples were collected from nine different sampling locations throughout Marin Country. From those 180, 67 isolates (37%) grew into colonies, which were identified as 15 different species, including one <em>Unclassified Ovatisporangium. </em>Water quality characteristics varied across seasons and locations, and the correlation to microbial diversity has yet to be determined.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Crites, Franki"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"Master's Thesis","degree_discipline":"Biological Science","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Wolfgang Schweigkofler, PhD","Vania Coelho, PhD"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2023,"date_issued":"2023-05-31T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2023-05-31T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:04:51Z","subjects":["Oomycetes","Phytophthora","Marin County","Water quality","Distribution","Species richness","Environmental Health and Protection","Environmental Monitoring","Environmental Sciences","Physical Sciences and Mathematics"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholar.dominican.edu/biological-sciences-masters-theses/22","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Wolfgang Schweigkofler, PhD","Vania Coelho, PhD"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Crites, Franki"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2023-05-31T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biological Science"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Oomycetes","Phytophthora","Marin County","Water quality","Distribution","Species richness","Environmental Health and Protection","Environmental Monitoring","Environmental Sciences","Physical Sciences and Mathematics"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholar.dominican.edu/biological-sciences-masters-theses/22"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Oomycetes, also known as water molds, belong to the kingdom Stramenopila and are a well-known group of plant pathogens and saprophytes. Important species include Phytophthora ramorum (causal agent of sudden oak death), Pythium aphanidermatum (root rot), and Phytophthora infestans (late potato blight), all major threats to the environment, agriculture, and the economy. Although many oomycete species have been found in various water sources, little is known about the correlation between the distribution and frequency of oomycetes in aquatic environments and physical chemical water parameters. The objective of this study was to detect and identify aquatic oomycetes from Marin County using repeated seasonal sampling and DNA sequencing and to analyze relevant physical chemical water characteristics such as temperature, pH, conductivity, turbidity, total suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand, and bacteriological contamination. Throughout June of 2019 to April of 2020 a total of 180 different samples were collected from nine different sampling locations throughout Marin Country. From those 180, 67 isolates (37%) grew into colonies, which were identified as 15 different species, including one Unclassified Ovatisporangium. Water quality characteristics varied across seasons and locations, and the correlation to microbial diversity has yet to be determined.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Distribution and Frequency of Aquatic Oomycetes Throughout Marin County in Relation to Physical Chemical Water Parameters"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Wolfgang Schweigkofler, PhD","Vania Coelho, PhD"],"dc:creator":["Crites, Franki"],"dc:date.available":["2023-05-31T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Oomycetes, also known as water molds, belong to the kingdom Stramenopila and are a well-known group of plant pathogens and saprophytes. Important species include Phytophthora ramorum (causal agent of sudden oak death), Pythium aphanidermatum (root rot), and Phytophthora infestans (late potato blight), all major threats to the environment, agriculture, and the economy. Although many oomycete species have been found in various water sources, little is known about the correlation between the distribution and frequency of oomycetes in aquatic environments and physical chemical water parameters. The objective of this study was to detect and identify aquatic oomycetes from Marin County using repeated seasonal sampling and DNA sequencing and to analyze relevant physical chemical water characteristics such as temperature, pH, conductivity, turbidity, total suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand, and bacteriological contamination. Throughout June of 2019 to April of 2020 a total of 180 different samples were collected from nine different sampling locations throughout Marin Country. From those 180, 67 isolates (37%) grew into colonies, which were identified as 15 different species, including one Unclassified Ovatisporangium. Water quality characteristics varied across seasons and locations, and the correlation to microbial diversity has yet to be determined.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholar.dominican.edu/biological-sciences-masters-theses/22"],"dc:subject":["Oomycetes","Phytophthora","Marin County","Water quality","Distribution","Species richness","Environmental Health and Protection","Environmental Monitoring","Environmental Sciences","Physical Sciences and Mathematics"],"dc:title":["Distribution and Frequency of Aquatic Oomycetes Throughout Marin County in Relation to Physical Chemical Water Parameters"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biological Science"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:04:51Z"}