Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 10, 2025
09:06
Removal of Exogenous Materials from the Outer Portion of Frozen Cores to Investigate the Ancient Biological Communities Harbored Inside
Published on: July 3, 2016
8.2K
Decoding Past Microbial Communities Shifts Induced by Natural and Anthropogenic Disturbance Events Through
S Varrella1,2, M Tangherlini3, C Corinaldesi2,4
1Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, UNIVPM, Ancona, Italy.
Molecular Ecology
|August 22, 2025
Summary
Marine sediment DNA archives reveal how industrial pollution reshaped microbial communities over centuries. Microbial diversity increased during industrial periods, showing adaptation to contaminants and volcanic events.
Area of Science:
- Marine microbiology
- Environmental genomics
- Paleoceanography
Background:
- Coastal ecosystems are threatened by industrial contaminants, with long-term impacts on microbial communities unclear.
- Understanding microbial responses to historical pollution is crucial for ecosystem management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze prokaryotic genetic signatures in sediment DNA to reconstruct long-term microbial community changes.
- To investigate the effects of industrialization and volcanic activity on microbial diversity and function in a polluted bay.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of extracellular DNA from sediment cores spanning the mid-17th century to the present.
- Quantification of archaeal and bacterial 16S rDNA copy numbers.
- Identification of prokaryotic Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) and assessment of microbial beta-diversity.
Main Results:
- Archaeal 16S rDNA copy numbers increased significantly during the industrial period.
- Microbial diversity (ASVs) rose from 70 to 182 prokaryotic families from pre-industrial to industrial periods.
- High microbial beta-diversity indicated shifts in community structure, with over 50 taxa affected by contamination and eruptions.
Conclusions:
- Extracellular DNA in marine sediments serves as a valuable archive of past benthic microbial diversity.
- Industrial pollution and volcanic events drove microbial succession, selecting for taxa adapted to adverse conditions.
- Sedimentary DNA analysis provides insights into long-term ecosystem dynamics and microbial resilience.
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