Extreme Salinity Change Governs Microbial Community Assembly and Interactions.

ABSTRACT: Coastal wetlands are highly vulnerable to climate-driven salinisation, which reshapes critical microbial processes underpinning nutrient cycling and energy flow. We examined how sediment microbial communities vary with salinity across the Coorong Lagoon (South Australia), spanning estuarine (0-40 g L^-1), intermediate (40-100 g L^-1) and hypersaline (100-150 g L^-1) waters. Salinity was found to be the dominant driver of sediment microbial community composition, diversity and assembly. High salinity favoured specialists and homogenous community structures, with generalist bacteria persisting across intermediate salinities and supporting ecosystem resilience. Sulfur and carbon cycling is likely dependent on salinity, as bacterial sulfur-oxidisers were abundant

SUBMITTER: Keneally C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12907032 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature