Defining seasonal marine microbial community dynamics

Here we describe, the longest microbial time-series analyzed to date using high-resolution 16S rRNA tag pyrosequencing of samples taken monthly over 6 years at a temperate marine coastal site off Plymouth, UK. Data treatment effected the estimation of community richness over a 6-year period, whereby 8794 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified using single-linkage preclustering and 21 130 OTUs were identified by denoising the data. The Alphaproteobacteria were the most abundant Class, and the most frequently recorded OTUs were members of the Rickettsiales (SAR 11) and Rhodobacteriales. This near-surface ocean bacterial community showed strong repeatable seasonal patterns, which were defined by…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: 0703159, DE-AC02-06CH11357
• AP
  Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
• SR
  Sight Research UK

  Awards: pml010009, pml010004
• NE
  Natural Environment Research Council

  Awards: pml010009, pml010004