Hydrological Seasonality Drives DOM-Bacteria Interactions in the Rushan River Basin.

ABSTRACT: To unravel hydrological controls on dissolved organic matter (DOM)-microbe interactions in river ecosystems, this study integrated 3D excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy (3D-EEMs), parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC), and 16S rRNA sequencing to characterize seasonal DOM dynamics and microbial assembly in China's Rushan River Basin. PARAFAC resolved contrasting DOM signatures between dry (four protein-like, two humic-like components) and wet seasons (three protein-like, three humic-like components). Dry-season DOM was dominated by tyrosine-like substances (58.03%), reflecting microbial degradation and phytoplankton activity, while wet-season DOM showed elevated tryptophan-like components (34.38%) and terrestrial fulvic acids (17.14%), which may be related to rain-driven external inputs.

SUBMITTER: Zheng S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12843783 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature