title: Restructuring of Epibacterial Communities on Fucus vesiculosus forma mytili in Response to Elevated pCO2 and Increased Temperature Levels.
abstract: Marine multicellular organisms in composition with their associated microbiota-representing metaorganisms-are confronted with constantly changing environmental conditions. In 2110, the seawater temperature is predicted to be increased by ~5°C, and the atmospheric carbon dioxide partial pressure (pCO2) is expected to reach approximately 1000 ppm. In order to assess the response of marine metaorganisms to global changes, e.g., by effects on host-microbe interactions, we evaluated the response of epibacterial communities associated with Fucus vesiculosus forma mytili (F. mytili) to future climate conditions. During an 11-week lasting mesocosm experiment on the island of Sylt (Germany) in spring 2014, North Sea F. mytili individuals were exposed to elevated pCO2 (1000 ppm) and increased temperature levels (Δ+5°C). Both abiotic factors were tested for single and combined effects on the epibacterial community composition over time, with three replicates per treatment. The respective community structures of bacterial consortia associated to the surface of F. mytili were analyzed by Illumina MiSeq 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing after 0, 4, 8, and 11 weeks of treatment (in total 96 samples). The results demonstrated that the epibacterial community structure was strongly affected by temperature, but only weakly by elevated pCO2. No interaction effect of both factors was observed in the combined treatment. We identified several indicator operational taxonomic units (iOTUs) that were strongly influenced by the respective experimental factors. An OTU association network analysis revealed that relationships between OTUs were mainly governed by habitat. Overall, this study contributes to a better understanding of how epibacterial communities associated with F. mytili may adapt to future changes in seawater acidity and temperature, ultimately with potential consequences for host-microbe interactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Institute for General Microbiology, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Birte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mensch
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Institute for General Microbiology, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Sven C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Neulinger
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Ecology and Phycology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Rostock Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Graiff
authors.affiliation: Coastal Ecology, Alfred Wegener Institute List on the island of Sylt, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pansch
authors.affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology Plön, Germany.
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Künzel
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Institute for General Microbiology, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Institute for General Microbiology, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Ruth A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Schmitz
keywords: 16S rDNA; Fucus vesiculosus forma mytili; epibacteria; global warming; mesocosm; metaorganism; ocean acidification; pCO2