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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Mar. Sci.
Sec. Aquatic Microbiology
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmars.2024.1457606

Microbial community regulated by internal solitary waves: An anchor study in the northern South China Sea

Provisionally accepted
Xinbang Zhou Xinbang Zhou 1Li Zou Li Zou 1*Xiaoyuan Mao Xiaoyuan Mao 1Yu Zhen Yu Zhen 1Xiaozhen Mou Xiaozhen Mou 2Chunsheng Ji Chunsheng Ji 3Zhenghao Zhong Zhenghao Zhong 1Weicheng Guan Weicheng Guan 1Changwei Bian Changwei Bian 1Yonggang Jia Yonggang Jia 1
  • 1 Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
  • 2 Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, United States
  • 3 Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The strong vertical fluctuation of internal solitary waves (ISWs) break through the oceanic thermocline, which may regulate the vertical migration on bioelements and microorganisms between euphotic and bathyal zones. In order to explore the biological responses to ISWs at microbial trophic level in marine ecosystem and biogeochemical cycle, an anchor investigation was carried out in August 2020 in the northern South China Sea, and chlorophyll a (Chl-a), bacterial abundance, 16S rRNA and metagenome sequencing data, as well as nutrient and dissolved inorganic and organic carbon data, were obtained. The results showed that the richness and diversity of bacterial communities rapidly response and generally decrease after ISWs, meanwhile multiple associations between bacterial communities and physicochemical factors gradually developed, whereas interspecific interactions largely decay among bacterial communities. The most changes in metabolic genes at the bottom edge of euphotic zone and bottom layer featured the significantly vertical impact of ISWs on microbial communities and associated functions. The functional pathway of amino acid metabolism was strongly stimulated by ISWs in a short time, while the gene abundance in the nitrogen cycle was increased by 1.3-1.9 times after ISWs. In addition, water masses can be transported by an ISW express channel from euphotic to deep waters, leading to a vivid group in the bottom water with higher Chl-a similar to the surface water and lower DIN similar to the bottom water of euphotic zone. The ISWs contribution among internal waves might be underestimated to periodically regulate the vertical sustainability of microbial structure and function, and the biogeochemical role in carbon and nitrogen cycles.

    Keywords: Internal solitary waves, Biological elements, microbial community, Metagenomics, functional genes, Northern South China Sea

    Received: 01 Jul 2024; Accepted: 06 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Zhou, Zou, Mao, Zhen, Mou, Ji, Zhong, Guan, Bian and Jia. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Li Zou, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.