Vertical characterisation of phylogenetic divergence of microbial community structures, interaction, and sustainability 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.

本研究全面探究了河口与海洋生态系统中微生物群落结构、相互作用的垂直系统发育分化，以及环境变量的动态变化。本研究证实，水深变化显著驱动了环境与生态条件的改变，进而引发微生物群落组成的变化。微生物多样性随水深增加而升高。水深梯度下的温度、盐度、溶解氧（Dissolved Oxygen, DO）及pH等环境变量的变化，亦是影响微生物多样性与群落相互作用的关键因素。微生物群落组成的变化与其营养摄食策略相关：光合微生物主要定殖于表层水体，而中层与底层水体则分别以病原菌与分解者占主导。