Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 26, 2026
15:23
Determination of Microbial Extracellular Enzyme Activity in Waters, Soils, and Sediments using High Throughput Microplate Assays
Published on: October 1, 2013
40.4K
Exploring bacterial functionality in mangrove sediments and its capability to overcome anthropogenic activity
Simone Raposo Cotta1, Luana Lira Cadete1, Jan Dirk van Elsas2
1Department of Soil Science, ESALQ/USP, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil.
Marine Pollution Bulletin
|April 9, 2019
Summary
Anthropogenic activities impact mangrove blue carbon ecosystems by altering sulfur-cycling bacteria. While microbial taxonomy shifted, core functions remained resilient, indicating functional redundancy in these vital carbon sinks.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Ecosystem Science
- Microbial Ecology
Background:
- Mangrove forests are crucial blue carbon sinks.
- These ecosystems are vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbances.
- Understanding microbiome responses is key to conservation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of human activities on mangrove soil microbiomes.
- To analyze changes in microbial structure and function under varying anthropogenic impacts.
- To assess the resilience of mangrove microbial communities.
Main Methods:
- Metagenomic analysis of mangrove soil microbiomes.
- Assessment of bacterial taxa abundance and functional gene expression.
- Comparison across a gradient of anthropogenic impact, including oil contamination.
Main Results:
- Microbiome taxonomic compositions were largely similar across sites.
- Significant fluctuations in bacterial taxa involved in sulfur cycling were observed.
- Genes for sulfur metabolism (APS pathways, sox, dsrAB) were highly expressed in impacted areas.
- Oil-impacted microbiomes showed greater taxonomic shifts than functional changes, suggesting high functional redundancy.
Conclusions:
- Mangrove microbiomes exhibit functional redundancy, maintaining essential processes despite taxonomic shifts.
- Anthropogenic impacts, particularly oil pollution, alter specific microbial functions like sulfur cycling.
- Further research is needed to fully understand the long-term implications for blue carbon storage.
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