Environment drives the co-occurrence of bacteria and microeukaryotes in a typical subtropical bay

The co-occurrence of bacteria and microeukaryote species is a ubiquitous ecological phenomenon,but there is limited cross-domain research in aquatic environments.We conducted a network statistical analysis and visualization of microbial cross-domain co-occurrence patterns based on DNA sampling of a typical subtropical bay during four seasons,using high-throughput sequencing of both 18S rRNA and 16S rRNA genes.First,we found obvious relationships between network stability and network complexity indices.For example,increased cooperation and modularity were found to weaken the stability of cross-domain networks.Secondly,we found that bacterial operational taxonomic units(OTUs)were the most important contributors to network complexity and stability as they occupied more nodes,constituted more keystone OTUs,built more connections,more importantly,ignoring bacteria led to greater variation in network robustness.Gammaproteobacteria,Alphaproteobacteria,Bacteroidetes,and Actinobacteria were the most ecologically important groups.Finally,we found that the environmental drivers most associated with cross-domain networks varied across seasons(in detail,the network in January was primarily constrained by temperature and salinity,the network in April was primarily constrained by depth and temperature,the network in July was mainly affected by depth,temperature,and salinity,depth was the most important factor affecting the network in October)and that environmental influence was stronger on bacteria than on microeukaryotes.

16S rRNA is a better choice than COI for DNA barcoding hydrozoans in the coastal waters of China

Identification of hydrozoan species is challenging, even for taxonomic experts, due to the scarcity of distinct morphological characters and phenotypic plasticity. DNA barcoding provides an efficient method for species identification, however, the choice between mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I（COI） and large subunit ribosomal RNA gene（16S） as a standard barcode for hydrozoans is subject to debate. Herein, we directly compared the barcode potential of COI and 16S in hydrozoans using 339 sequences from 47 pelagic hydrozoan species. Analysis of Kimura 2-parameter genetic distances（K2P） documented the mean intraspecific/interspecific variation for COI and 16S to be 0.004/0.204 and 0.003/0.223, respectively. An obvious ＂barcoding gap＂ was detected for all species in both markers and all individuals of a species clustered together in both the COI and 16S trees. These results suggested that the species within the studied taxa can be efficiently and accurately identified by COI and 16S. Furthermore, our results confirmed that 16S was a better phylogenetic marker for hydrozoans at the genus level, and in some cases at the family level. Considering the resolution and effectiveness for barcoding and phylogenetic analyses of Hydrozoa, we strongly recommend 16S as the standard barcode for hydrozoans.

Temperature relations of aerial and aquatic physiological performance in a mid-intertidal limpet Cellana toreuma: Adaptation to rapid changes in thermal stress during emersion

The physiological performance of a mid-intertidal limpet Cellana toreuma was determined to study the physiological adaptation of intertidal animals to rapid changes and extreme temperatures during emersion.The relationship between the Arrhenius breakpoint temperature(ABT)and in situ operative body temperature was studied to predict the possible impact of climate change on the species.The temperature coefficient(Q10)of emersed animals was higher than that of submersed animals and the ratio of aerial:aquatic heart rate rose with increasing temperature.The ABTs of submersed and emersed animals were 30.2 and 34.2°C,respectively.The heart rate and levels of molecular biomarkers(hsps,ampkα,ampkβand sirt1 mRNA)were determined in 48 h simulated semi-diurnal tides.There were no obvious changes of heart rate and gene expression during the transition between emersion and submersion at room temperature,although expressions of hsp70 and hsp90 were induced significantly after thermal stress.These results indicate that C.toreuma can effectively utilize atmospheric oxygen,and the higher Q10 and ABT of emersed animals are adaptations to the rapid change and extreme thermal stress during emersion.However,the in situ operative body temperature frequently exceeds the aerial ABT of C.toreuma,indicating the occurrence of large-scale mortality of C.toreuma in summer,and this species should be sensitive to increasing temperature in the scenario of climate change.

Homogeneous selection is not always important in bacterial community in the eutrophic enclosed bay

Background:Previous studies have found that coastal eutrophication increases the influence of homogeneous selection on bacterial community assembly.However,whether seasonal changes affect the dominance of homogenous selection in bacterial community assembly in eutrophic bays remains unclear.Sansha Bay is an enclosed bay with ongoing eutrophication,located in the southeast coast of China.We investigated the bacterial community composition at two depths of the enclosed bay across seasons and the seasonal variation in community assembly processes.Results:Diversity analyses revealed that the bacterial community composition among seasons differed significantly.By contrast,there was little difference in the community composition between the two depths.The temperature was the key environmental factor influencing the community composition.The null model indicated that the relative importance of homogeneous selection decreased in the following order:spring>winter>autumn>summer.Homogeneous selection did not always dominate the community assembly among seasons in the eutrophic bay.The effects of pure spatial variables on the community assembly were prominent in autumn and winter.Conclusions:Our results showed the seasonal influence of eutrophication on bacterial community diversity.The seasonal variation in composition and structure of bacterial communities eclipsed the vertical variability.Eutrophication could enhance the importance of homogeneous selection in the assembly processes,but the seasonal environmental differences interfered with the steady-state maintained by ongoing eutrophication and changed the community assembly processes.Homogeneous selection was not always important in bacterial community in the eutrophic enclosed bay.The bacterial community was the most complex in summer,because the composition differed from other seasons,and the assembly process was the most intricate.These findings have contributed to understanding bacterial community composition and assembly processes in eutrophic coastal ecosystems.