Seagrass microbiome

Seagrass meadows, particularly Zostera marina, play a crucial role in supporting biodiversity, carbon storage, nutrient cycling, and coastal protection. Recent research, however, suggests that many of these services may be attributed to the seagrass holobiont—the dynamic relationship between seagrass and its associated microorganisms. This study investigates the microbial communities associated with Z. marina across different life stages and environmental conditions. Samples from natural and restoration seagrass sites in Milford Haven, South Wales, were analyzed for microbial diversity in plant roots, rhizomes, and surrounding sediments using high-throughput DNA sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA. The study identified over 200 microbial taxa, with significant differences between root and sediment communities. Microbial taxa involved in sulfur cycling, nutrient uptake, and organic matter degradation were prominent, with plant age and structure influencing community composition. Juvenile plants exhibited higher nitrogen-fixing bacteria, while adult plants showed increased cellulose-degrading taxa. These findings highlight the importance of microbial interactions in seagrass ecosystems and suggest potential avenues for improving seagrass restoration through microbiome management.

海草床，尤其是大叶藻（Zostera marina），在维持生物多样性、碳封存、养分循环与海岸防护方面发挥着至关重要的作用。然而，近期研究表明，这类生态服务的很大一部分可归因于海草共生体（seagrass holobiont）——即海草与其附属微生物之间的动态互作关系。本研究针对不同生长阶段与环境条件下的大叶藻关联微生物群落展开探究。研究采集了英国南威尔士米尔福德港（Milford Haven）自然海草床与修复海草床的样本，通过对细菌16S核糖体RNA（16S rRNA）进行高通量DNA测序，分析了海草根、根状茎及周边沉积物中的微生物多样性。本研究共鉴定出200余种微生物类群，且根际与沉积物微生物群落间存在显著差异。参与硫循环、养分吸收与有机质降解的微生物类群占据优势，海草的生长阶段与植株结构会对群落组成产生影响。幼龄海草植株的固氮细菌丰度更高，而成体海草则富集了更多纤维素降解类群。本研究结果凸显了微生物互作在海草生态系统中的重要性，同时为通过微生物组管理优化海草修复工作提供了潜在方向。