Decoding Past Microbial Communities Shifts Induced by Natural and Anthropogenic Disturbance Events Through Extracellular DNA.

ABSTRACT: Coastal marine ecosystems face escalating threats from multiple anthropogenic stressors, including the release of industrial contaminants. Despite decades of industrial activity impacting marine ecosystems, long-term effects on microbial communities and related key ecological functions remain unclear. Here, we analysed the prokaryotic genetic signatures of extracellular DNA preserved in sediment layers dating from the mid-17th century to the present day collected from two sites of one of the most polluted European coastal areas (i.e., Bagnoli-Coroglio Bay, Tyrrhenian Sea), where industrial activities began in the early 20th century and ended in 1992. Archaeal 16S rDNA copy numbers were higher than bacterial ones, reaching values of 2.3 and 8.8 × 10⁷ copies during pre-industrial

SUBMITTER: Varrella S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12530286 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature