Metagenomics within mangrove forest tidal zone

Soils are among the greatest sources of microbial diversity on the planet. The microorganisms within soils are fundamental to many terrestrial processes and define important characteristics of their habitats through metabolic activities . Mangrove ecosystems constitute a large portion of the tropical and subtropical coastlines and are important, not only as natural barriers that reduce the impact of storms and protect the coastline from erosion, but also as critical ecosystems in climate change mitigation.The Serinhaem Estuary is located in the Low South Region of Bahia State, Brazil. The estuary is within the Pratigi Environmental Protection Area (APA), one of the remaining Atlantic forest regions.We sought to identify prokaryotic microbial populations within the tidal zones of this preserved mangrove forest to better understand the potential roles these organisms play within this ecosystem.