Sediment microbial taxonomic and functional diversity in a natural salinity gradient challenge Remane's "species minimum" concept.

ABSTRACT: Several models have been developed for the description of diversity in estuaries and other brackish habitats, with the most recognized being Remane's Artenminimum ("species minimum") concept. It was developed for the Baltic Sea, one of the world's largest semi-enclosed brackish water body with a unique permanent salinity gradient, and it argues that taxonomic diversity of macrobenthic organisms is lowest within the horohalinicum (5 to 8 psu). The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between salinity and sediment microbial diversity at a freshwater-marine transect in Amvrakikos Gulf (Ionian Sea, Western Greece) and assess whether species composition and community function follow a generalized concept such as Remane's. DNA was extracted from sediment samples from six

SUBMITTER: Pavloudi C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5642246 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature