Contrasting Effects of Local Environmental and Biogeographic Factors on the Composition and Structure of Bacterial Communities in Arid Monospecific Mangrove Soils

Abstract

Mangrove ecosystems are increasingly being recognized for their potential to sequester atmospheric carbon, thereby mitigating the effects of anthropogenically driven greenhouse gas emissions. The bacterial community in the soils plays an important role in the breakdown and recycling of carbon and other nutrients.

Bioturbation Intensity Modifies the Sediment Microbiome and Biochemistry and Supports Plant Growth in an Arid Mangrove System

“…Sediment microbial dynamics in the intertidal zone are affected by fluctuations in key environmental factors ( 1 – 3 ), compounding out-of-phase diel and tidal cycles, along with other sources of variability. These fluctuations affect sediment temperature, salinity, and organic matter availability ( 4 ), resulting in changing microbial community diversity, evenness, and composition in saltmarshes ( 5 ), seagrass beds ( 6 ) and mangroves ( 7 , 8 ).…”

The Right Place at the Right Time: Seasonal Variation of Bacterial Communities in Arid Avicennia marina Soils in the Red Sea Is Specific to Its Position in the Intertidal

“…Mangroves also play important roles in facilitating biogeochemical pathways and acting as blue carbon sinks with the majority of carbon bound in the soil (Donato et al, 2011;Alongi, 2020;Jennerjahn, 2020). This important ecosystem service is driven primarily by the activity of the associated soil microbial communities (Alongi, 1994;Holguin et al, 2001;Thomson et al, 2022). Despite their role in the delivery of this ecosystem service microbial communities in mangrove soils have received little attention in comparison to other marine and terrestrial environments (Thompson et al, 2017;Bahram et al, 2018).…”

“…Notably, there is still limited research into spatial and temporal variation patterns of bacterial community assemblages in mangrove soils (Ma et al, 2020;Zhang et al, 2021). A few studies have assessed the role of biotic and abiotic factors to better understand the ecological drivers that influence spatial patterns of microbial communities in mangrove soils (Alongi, 2005;Reef et al, 2010;Thomson et al, 2022). The temporal dynamics of microbial assemblages and how they are influenced by environmental variability in marine systems has been noted to be poorly explored, representing a significant research gap (Trevathan-Tackett et al, 2019).…”

“…Preliminary research indicates that short-term microbial temporal variability can be surprisingly consistent, with predictable patterns over the period of days to weeks for macroalgae (Lachnit et al, 2011), corals (Kimes et al, 2013), and sponges (Simister et al, 2013). However, at longer seasonal time periods evidence for the scales at which coastal microbiomes shift along with the drivers behind these shifts is often conflicting (Trevathan-Tackett et al, 2019). For example, studies indicating stability in the microbiome over time and location (Lema et al, 2014;Fahimipour et al, 2017) contradict studies that suggest that microbial communities are highly variable and influenced by habitat forming species and environmental conditions (Cúcio et al, 2016;van de Water et al, 2018).…”

“…For example, studies indicating stability in the microbiome over time and location (Lema et al, 2014;Fahimipour et al, 2017) contradict studies that suggest that microbial communities are highly variable and influenced by habitat forming species and environmental conditions (Cúcio et al, 2016;van de Water et al, 2018). Whilst some of these inconsistencies relate to the scale of various studies, it has been concluded that these conflicting patterns prevent us from generalizing about the stability or variability of microbial communities (Trevathan-Tackett et al, 2019). Even less information is available for mangrove habitats which are subjected to significant short term tidal and seasonal variations in salinity, temperature, oxygen content, and hydrodynamic fluctuations (Alongi, 2009).…”