biostudies-literaturevon Hoyningen-Huene AJEDeutsche ForschungsgemeinschaftGeorg-August-Universität Göttingen4257https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8917147biostudies-literatureUnknown12(1)The remote Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles, provides the rare opportunity to study bacterial communities in pristine carbonate sediments across an entire biome. The four sampled sites cover sand with high porewater exchange, bioturbated silt and mud with intermediate exchange, as well as a seasonally and episodically desiccated landlocked pool. As sediments harbour dead cells and environmental DNA alongside live cells, we used bacterial 16S rRNA gene and transcript analysis to distinguish between past and present inhabitants. Previously described laminated sediments mirroring past conditions in the Cerin, France could not be retrieved. Thus, the aim was adjusted to determine whether bacterial community composition and diversity follow typical geochemical zonation patterns at different locations Scientific reportsDNA- and RNA-based bacterial communities and geochemical zonation under changing sediment porewater dynamics on the Aldabra Atoll.PMC8917147: DA 374/11-1AR 335/8-1Schneider DReimer ADaniel Rvon Hoyningen-Huene AJEFussmann DArp GfalseDNA- and RNA-based bacterial communities and geochemical zonation under changing sediment porewater dynamics on the Aldabra Atoll.The remote Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles, provides the rare opportunity to study bacterial communities in pristine carbonate sediments across an entire biome. The four sampled sites cover sand with high porewater exchange, bioturbated silt and mud with intermediate exchange, as well as a seasonally and episodically desiccated landlocked pool. As sediments harbour dead cells and environmental DNA alongside live cells, we used bacterial 16S rRNA gene and transcript analysis to distinguish between past and present inhabitants. Previously described laminated sediments mirroring past conditions in the Cerin, France could not be retrieved. Thus, the aim was adjusted to determine whether bacterial community composition and diversity follow typical geochemical zonation patterns at different locations 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Mar2025-04-26T04:42:25.379Z2025-02-19T03:47:20.623ZS-EPMC89171473527752510.1038/s41598-022-07980-0