Coupling between bacterial phylogenetic diversity and heterotrophic productivity in a coastal ecosystem affected by estuarine plumes.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the diversity-productivity relationship (DPR) is crucial for elucidating the ecological functions of marine bacterioplankton. However, studies have often focused on species diversity, neglecting phylogenetic diversity, which may offer deeper insights into the complex ecological processes shaping DPR in natural systems. This study addressed this gap by exploring the role of phylogenetic diversity in bacterioplankton productivity in the northern South China Sea, a coastal ecosystem influenced by estuarine plumes. We aimed to disentangle the mechanisms driving DPR and investigate how estuarine plumes modulate these processes. Our results show that the substantial enhancement of phytoplankton production by the Pearl River plume increased bacterial production, abundance, and cell-

SUBMITTER: Liu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12271574 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature