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Cited by 49Microbial Community Ecology and PhysiologyMarine Plankton and BiogeochemistryMarine Biology and Ecology Research

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Global biogeography of microbes driving ocean ecological status under climate change

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Zhang, Zhenyan, Zhang, Qi, Chen, Bingfeng, Yu, Yitian, Wang, Tingzhang, Xu, Nuohan, Fan, Xiaoji, Penuelas, Josep, Fu, Zhengwei, Deng, Ye, Zhu, Yong-Guan, Qian, Haifeng·2024·Nature Communications
DOI 10.1038/s41467-024-49124-0PMC PMC11143227
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Abstract

Microbial communities play a crucial role in ocean ecology and global biogeochemical processes. However, understanding the intricate interactions among diversity, taxonomical composition, functional traits, and how these factors respond to climate change remains a significant challenge. Here, we propose seven distinct ecological statuses by systematically considering the diversity, structure, and biogeochemical potential of the ocean microbiome to delineate their biogeography. Anthropogenic climate change is expected to alter the ecological status of the surface ocean by influencing environmental conditions, particularly nutrient and oxygen contents. Our predictive model, which utilizes machine learning, indicates that the ecological status of approximately 32.44% of the surface ocean may undergo changes from the present to the end of this century, assuming no policy interventions. These changes mainly include poleward shifts in the main taxa, increases in photosynthetic carbon fixation and decreases in nutrient metabolism. However, this proportion can decrease significantly with effective control of greenhouse gas emissions. Our study underscores the urgent necessity for implementing policies to mitigate climate change, particularly from an ecological perspective.

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  • Halomonas sp. mitigates arsenic toxicity by oxidizing As3+ to the less toxic As6+, thereby aiding in soil detoxification and improving rice growth.

    “For instance, Halomonas sp.mitigates arsenic toxicity by oxidizing As 3 ⁺ to the less toxic As⁶⁺, thereby aiding in soil detoxification and improving rice growth [400,404].”

    From Harnessing bacterial consortia for effective bioremediation: targeted removal of heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and persistent pollutants (2025) · cites this paper as [404]

    The Methods section describes marker genes for photosynthesis, carbon fixation, nitrogen metabolism, and sulfur metabolism in ocean microbes. Searches for Halomonas, arsenic oxidation, soil detoxification, and rice growth found no passage addressing the claimed mechanism or outcome. (LLM, conf=0.76)

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  • Exopolysaccharide-producing Bacillus strains are highly effective in adsorbing cadmium and lead from contaminated soils, enhancing plant growth while reducing heavy metal bioavailability.

    “Exopolysaccharide-producing Bacillus strains have proven highly effective in adsorbing cadmium and lead from contaminated soils, enhancing plant growth while reducing heavy metal bioavailability [400,404].”

    From Harnessing bacterial consortia for effective bioremediation: targeted removal of heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and persistent pollutants (2025) · cites this paper as [404]

    The Results passages concern ocean microbial communities and their biogeochemical potential, not Bacillus treatment of contaminated soils. Searches for exopolysaccharide-producing Bacillus, cadmium and lead adsorption, plant growth, and heavy-metal bioavailability found no passage addressing the claim. No page numbers were provided in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.77)

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Metadata

Authors
Zhang, Z., Zhang, Q., Chen, B., Yu, Y., Wang, T., Xu, N., Fan, X., Penuelas, J., Fu, Z., Deng, Y., Zhu, Y.-G., & Qian, H.
Affiliations
  • Zhejiang University of Technology (CN)
  • Shaoxing University (CN)
  • Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
Corresponding author
Qian, Haifeng
ORCID
Venue
Nature Communications
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2024-05-31
Volume
15
Issue
1
Pages
4657-4657
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1038/s41467-024-49124-0
PMC
PMC11143227
OpenAlex
W4399205751
Cited by
49
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 18 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 7
FWCI
12.06
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Fundación Ramón Areces (CIVP20A6621)
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (TED2021-132627B–I00, 22241603, 22376187, 22241603-3, 10.13039, 21976161, AEI/10.13039/501100011033, 42307158)
  • Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI//10.13039/501100011033/, 501100011033, 10.13039/501100011033, 13039, .13039/501100011033, 10.13039, AEI/10)
  • National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFD1700401, 2017YFD0200503, 2022YFD1700400, PID2022-140808NB-I00)
  • Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (LZ23B070001)
  • NextGenerationEU
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Oceanography › Marine Plankton and Biogeochemistry
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Oceanography › Marine Biology and Ecology Research
Keywords
marine microbiome, microbial biogeography, ecological status classification, microbial diversity, microbial community composition, functional traits, poleward shift, photosynthetic carbon fixation, nutrient metabolism, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, surface ocean, biogeochemical processes
MeSH terms
Oceans and Seas, Seawater, Ecosystem, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Carbon Cycle, Microbiota

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