Illumina Miseq sequencing of metagenomic communities associated with intact and decaying Ascophyllum nodosum

Ascophyllum nodosum was allowed to decay in artificial seawater for six weeks at 18, 25 and 30 degrees.Samples were collected weekly from the decaying brown alga (at the three different temperatures)and the 16S rRNA gene of the metagenomic DNA obtained was sequenced to identify associated bacterial communities. Similar analysis was also performed on the fresh undecayed seaweed as a reference point