Tebbe Dennis Alexander, Yong Joanne, Smykala Mike, Kuczynski Lucie, Guedán Manuel Lanza, Lõhmus Kertu, Pieck Daniela, Poehlein Anja, Schäfer Hendrik, Könneke Martin, Moorthi Stefanie D, Engelen Bert
Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.
Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 26;15(1):27178. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-12995-4.
Salt marshes are ecologically important ecosystems with dynamic nutrient exchange between land and sea. Their zonation along an elevation gradient supports specific communities exhibiting successional patterns. Previous studies have mainly focused on individual domains, with limited attempts to explore interdependencies of community assemblies across domains. Here, we investigated the co-occurrence of prokaryotes and microeukaryotes in natural salt marsh sediments and experimental islands placed in the adjacent tidal flat. The islands contained originally bare and transplanted plots at three different elevations, corresponding to the typical salt marsh zonation. After initial disturbance by the artificial setting, microbial metacommunities re-assembled along the elevation gradient, showing distinct community compositions comparable to those of the natural salt marsh zones. Interkingdom co-occurrence network analysis revealed sub-communities linked to the natural and artificial settings, with Woeseiaceae, Flavobacteriaceae, and Rhodobacteraceae playing important roles as keystone species. The community assembly was primarily driven by habitat filtering. In conclusion, this study provides insights into the assembly, co-occurrence patterns and recovery of microbial communities in salt marsh sediments. The research highlights the importance of elevation in shaping microbial communities. Understanding these ecological mechanisms is crucial for effective salt marsh protection and conservation facing potential threats like strong disturbances by enhanced storm surges.
盐沼是具有陆地与海洋之间动态养分交换的重要生态系统。它们沿海拔梯度的分带支持了呈现演替模式的特定群落。以往的研究主要集中在单个领域，探索不同领域群落集合之间相互依存关系的尝试有限。在这里，我们研究了天然盐沼沉积物以及位于相邻潮滩的实验岛上原核生物和微型真核生物的共现情况。这些岛屿包含三个不同海拔高度的原始裸地和移植地块，对应于典型的盐沼分带。在受到人工设置的初始干扰后，微生物元群落沿海拔梯度重新组装，显示出与天然盐沼区域相当的独特群落组成。跨界共现网络分析揭示了与自然和人工环境相关的子群落，其中沃氏菌科、黄杆菌科和红杆菌科作为关键物种发挥着重要作用。群落组装主要受栖息地过滤驱动。总之，本研究为盐沼沉积物中微生物群落的组装、共现模式和恢复提供了见解。该研究强调了海拔在塑造微生物群落方面的重要性。了解这些生态机制对于面对诸如风暴潮增强等强烈干扰等潜在威胁时有效保护和养护盐沼至关重要。
