Bacterial diversity, community composition and potential activity in surface waters of the Gulf of Naples

Bacterioplankton are the key components of the biogeochemical cycles in marine ecosystem. Consequently, their richness and evenness are critical for the way the ecosystem functions, and need regular monitoring in order to have a proper assessment of ecosystem health and functioning. It is also important to estimate the functional potential of each bacterial population so as to understand their individual contribution to the ecosystem processes. Community structure and function of bacterial assemblages are influenced by a number of biotic and abiotic interactions which are highly dynamic in marine ecosystems, especially in the coastal areas. This study aims to investigate the diversity, community composition and functional potential of bacterial communities in a coastal area of the Mediterranean Sea.