Chrysophyceae are a diverse group of planktonic protists widely distributed in freshwater. They encompass a variety of orders, whereby heterotrophy has evolved independently in several phylogenetic lineages. Therefore, closely related taxa evolved that developed different feeding strategies (photo-, mixo-, heterotrophy). In high-throughput sequencing studies, the Chrysophyceae were usually addressed as a group rather than split in individual phylogenetic orders. Also because of the close relationship of the distinct nutritional strategies, no functional statements were made about nutritional patterns. Based on an extensive phylogenetic tree and phylogenetic placement, we link OTU diversity of Chrysophyceae from 218 freshwater lakes with phylogenetic affiliations. This provides information on the relative importance of lineages affiliated with different nutrition modes. Our study demonstrates that Chrysophyceae are one of the most common groups in freshwaters. We found Chrysophyceae in 213 out of 218 sample sites across Europe and in several sites they belong to the most commonly retrieved taxa. Ochromonadales and a Chrysosacca-Apoikiida clade (including Apoikiida, Chrysosaccales, Chrysastrella) are the most widespread Chrysophyceae groups and show a high degree of OTU diversity. Most detected and assignable OTUs were affiliated with mixotrophic Chrysophyceae. Niche width differs only slightly between members of different clades and between the different trophic modes. We found several OTUs within the Ochromonadales, Synurales, and Chrysosacca-Apoikiida clade, that show a wide distribution and large tolerance ranges concerning ecophysiological factors.

金藻纲是广泛分布在淡水中的一组多样化的浮游原生生物。它们包含多种目，由此异养在几个系统发育谱系中独立进化。因此，密切相关的类群进化出不同的饲养策略（光养、混养、异养）。在高通量测序研究中，金藻科通常被视为一个群体，而不是按单个系统发育顺序进行划分。同样由于不同的营养策略之间的密切关系，没有关于营养模式的功能性陈述。基于广泛的系统发育树和系统发育位置，我们将来自 218 个淡水湖泊的金藻科的 OTU 多样性与系统发育隶属关系联系起来。这提供了与不同营养模式相关的谱系的相对重要性的信息。我们的研究表明，金藻纲是淡水中最常见的群体之一。我们在欧洲 218 个样本点中的 213 个中发现了金藻纲，在几个点中它们属于最常检索到的分类群。Ochromonadales 和 Chrysacca-Apoikiida 进化枝（包括 Apoikiida、Chrysosaccales、Chrysastrella ) 是分布最广的金藻科群，并表现出高度的 OTU 多样性。大多数检测到和可分配的 OTU 都与混合营养金藻科有关。生态位宽度在不同进化枝的成员之间和不同的营养模式之间仅略有不同。我们在 Ochromonadales、Synurales 和 Chrysacca-Apoikiida 进化枝中发现了几个 OTU，它们在生态生理因素方面表现出广泛的分布和大的耐受范围。