A global comparison of surface and subsurface microbiomes reveals large-scale biodiversity gradients, and a marine-terrestrial divide.

ABSTRACT: Subsurface environments are among Earth's largest habitats for microbial life. Yet, until recently, we lacked adequate data to accurately differentiate between globally distributed marine and terrestrial surface and subsurface microbiomes. Here, we analyzed 478 archaeal and 964 bacterial metabarcoding datasets and 147 metagenomes from diverse and widely distributed environments. Microbial diversity is similar in marine and terrestrial microbiomes at local to global scales. However, community composition greatly differs between sea and land, corroborating a phylogenetic divide that mirrors patterns in plant and animal diversity. In contrast, community composition overlaps between surface to subsurface environments supporting a diversity continuum rather than a discrete subsurface biosphere.

SUBMITTER: Ruff SE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11654699 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature