Hydrological regime of a continental river system predicts bacterial macroecological patterns.

ABSTRACT: Modeling bacterial dynamics in large river systems is crucial for predicting continental-scale ecosystem functioning under anthropogenic pressures. Although the River Continuum and Metacommunity concepts have provided theoretical frameworks, quantitative parameters necessary for microbial macroecological models remain scarce. Here, we present results from two whole-river surveys, conducted six years apart along 2600 km of the Danube River. Using bacterial secondary production, cell counts, and 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene amplicon sequencing, we quantified carbon, cell, phylotype, and diversity turnover along the river. Carbon incorporation per cell declined with water travel time by 6000-21 000 atoms per hour. Bacterial cells multiplied every eight days, resulting in four to six doubling

SUBMITTER: Demeter K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12927878 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature