Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Microbial and Fish Communities in the Thracian Sea Revealed by eDNA Metabarcoding.

ABSTRACT: The Thracian Sea, a semi-enclosed coastal basin in the northeastern Aegean Sea, represents a dynamic marine environment influenced by freshwater inputs, stratification, and seasonal variability. Here, we investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of microbial and ichthyofaunal communities using environmental DNA (eDNA) and high-throughput sequencing across various stations in the vicinity of the Thracian Sea, in consecutive months (through spring and summer). Seawater samples were collected from the surface and thermocline layers, and environmental parameters were recorded to examine their influence on biodiversity patterns. Microbial communities exhibited strong seasonal and depth-related structuring. Alpha diversity was highest in spring and declined during summer, while beta diversity ana

SUBMITTER: Tokamani M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12566333 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature