Organic enrichment reduces sediment bacterial and archaeal diversity, composition, and functional profile independent of bioturbator activity

Sebastian Vadillo Gonzalez; Katherine A Dafforn; Paul E Gribben; Wayne A O'Connor; Emma L Johnston

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115608

Organic enrichment reduces sediment bacterial and archaeal diversity, composition, and functional profile independent of bioturbator activity

Mar Pollut Bull. 2023 Nov:196:115608. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115608. Epub 2023 Oct 3.

Authors

Sebastian Vadillo Gonzalez¹, Katherine A Dafforn², Paul E Gribben³, Wayne A O'Connor⁴, Emma L Johnston⁵

Affiliations

¹ Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Chowder Bay Road, Mosman, NSW 2088, Sydney, Australia; The University of Sydney, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Chowder Bay Road, Mosman, NSW 2088, Sydney, Australia; School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Sydney, Australia.
³ Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Chowder Bay Road, Mosman, NSW 2088, Sydney, Australia; Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, NSW, 2052 Sydney, Australia; Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
⁴ New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries NSW, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Taylors Beach, NSW 2316, Australia.
⁵ Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Chowder Bay Road, Mosman, NSW 2088, Sydney, Australia; Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, NSW, 2052 Sydney, Australia.

PMID: 37797537
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115608

Abstract

Eutrophication is a worldwide issue that can disrupt ecosystem processes in sediments. Studies have shown that macrofauna influences sediment processes by engineering environments that constrain microbial communities. Here, we explored the effect of different sizes of the Sydney cockle (Anadara trapezia), on bacterial and archaeal communities in natural and experimentally enriched sediments. A mesocosm experiment was conducted with two enrichment conditions (natural or enriched) and 5 cockle treatments (small, medium, large, mixed sizes and a control). This study was unable to detect A. trapezia effects on microbial communities irrespective of body size. However, a substantial decrease of bacterial richness, diversity, and structural and functional shifts, were seen with organic enrichment of sediments. Archaea were similarly changed although the magnitude of effect was less than for bacteria. Overall, we found evidence to suggest that A. trapezia had limited capacity to affect sediment microbial communities and mitigate the effects of organic enrichment.

Keywords: Bioturbation; Body size; Microbial communities; Organic enrichment; Sediments; Sydney cockle.

MeSH terms

Animals
Archaea / genetics
Arcidae*
Bacteria / genetics
Geologic Sediments / chemistry
Microbiota*
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S

Substances

RNA, Ribosomal, 16S