Vertical characterization of phylogenetic divergence of microbial community structures and interaction in estuary and marine ecosystems

This study comprehensively investigated the vertical phylogenetic divergence of microbial community structure and interaction in the estuary and marine ecosystem and the dynamics of environmental variables. This study demonstrated that changes in water depth significantly drove the change in the environmental and ecological conditions which resulted in changes in the microbial community assemblage. The microbial diversity increased with the increase in water depth. The changes in environmental variables such as temperature, salinity, DO, and pH at water depth were key players that also influence microbial diversity and interaction. The changes in the microbial assemblages were related to the feeding lifestyle since phototrophic organisms were mainly nested at the surface while the middle and bottom depths were predominantly nested by pathogens and decomposers respectively.