New research shows that the microbiome that clings to gastropods (tiny crabs)) Records water mass movement and environmental conditions with high accuracy. The insight offers an improved tool for ecological monitoring, pollution and the climate crisis
When we look at the sea, the surface of the water appears uniform – but beneath the surface it is divided into different zones with unique conditions, at different depths and geographical areas. It is difficult to imagine a “sea map” where you can actually see these boundaries, but that is exactly what a new international study has attempted to uncover – with the help of tiny planktonic crustaceans called copepods (from the Greek for paddle and foot).
The study, led by Prof. Tamar Guy-Haim and Dr. Jimena Velasquez from the Israel Institute of Marine and Lake Research (IIL), was published Today in the journal Limnology and Oceanography Letters, discovered that gastropods carry a unique “microbial signature” that better reflects ocean currents and environmental conditions than free-floating microorganisms in seawater. The researchers studied microorganisms living on and inside gastropods throughout the Mediterranean Sea, as part of a research cruise that stretched from the Tyrrhenian Sea off the coast of Italy to the Levant Basin east of Crete. The Mediterranean Sea is an ideal natural laboratory for studying biogeographic patterns (the distribution patterns of species across different geographic areas) thanks to its wide range of environmental conditions.
""The microorganisms move with their hosts – the gastropods," explains Dr. Velasquez. "Because the movement of gastropods is more constrained by ocean currents than that of free-living microorganisms, their microbiome is shaped by the location and movement of the host, creating a kind of 'microbial map' of the sea areas."".
The study was conducted in collaboration with researchers from Israel, Italy, Greece and France, who collected samples aboard the research vessel L'Atalante during a five-week research cruise. The work took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, which added logistical challenges to the scientific challenge. "Every day we dragged plankton nets and collected water samples," recalls Velasquez. "I spent hours in front of a microscope in the ship's laboratory, carefully identifying and sorting the species of gastropods, even when the sea waves were high. Despite the challenges, it was an unforgettable and very satisfying experience."
"Microbial communities are interconnected and shaped by ecological processes," explains Prof. Guy-Haim. "At a local scale, the microbial communities associated with gastropods are highly dependent on the host species and on traits such as food preferences, as we found inPrevious research we conducted on the Israeli coast"But on a large scale, tadpoles can share microorganisms with each other directly or through the environment, creating a microbial meta-society."
Using advanced genetic tools and evolutionary models, the researchers found that the microbial metacommunities associated with gastropods were similar in Mediterranean basins connected by ocean currents, but different in non-connected basins. In contrast, the metacommunities of free-floating microorganisms were uniform across all sampling areas and dominated by adaptable and widespread species.
"Our findings suggest that the gastropod microbiome may serve as a sensitive marker for regional changes in ocean conditions," says Guy-Haim. "It is possible that in the future we will use these microorganisms as biomarkers to monitor changes in marine ecosystems – especially under climate change."
As the ocean warms and becomes more nutrient-poor, host-associated microorganisms—especially those adapted to oligotrophic (poor) environments—may serve as early warning signs of the state of marine ecosystems. The findings open up new avenues for monitoring changes in the marine microbiome and the systems it supports—on a global scale.
More of the topic in Hayadan:
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Response to an article by the "Zovit" website about the impact of global warming on agriculture: Sad. Once again, because of our actions, the curse "in the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread" (Genesis, Chapter 3, Verse 19) is being fulfilled upon us.
Interesting. The world is indeed much more diverse than it seems at first glance.