Effect of habitat type on bacterioplankton communities in a semi-artificial wetland
Wetlands are vital ecosystems that support biodiversity, help retain nutrients, provide flood protection and stabilise shorelines. Microbial communities, particularly bacterioplankton, play a crucial role in wetland functions and are influenced by habitat characteristics. This study investigates how environmental factors and habitat types affect bacterioplankton communities in a semi-artificial wetland system, the Kis-Balaton Water Protection System (KBWPS) in Hungary. The bacterioplankton communities of a hydrological continuum consisting of lotic, lentic and wetland areas were compared. Twelve sampling sites were identified in the KBWPS and Lake Balaton. Metagenomic DNA was extracted from water samples and targeted 16S rRNA sequencing was performed using the Nanopore MinIon platform. Statistical analyses were performed to assess bacterial community dissimilarities and diversity indices. Several unique bacterioplankton communities were observed along the hydrological continuum. The KBWPS samples were dominated by the families Comamonadaceae and Burkholderiaceae, while Lake Balaton showed a slightly higher diversity. Significant differences in bacterioplankton composition were found between KBWPS and Lake Balaton (P&lt;0.05). The unique habitats within the KBWPS led to a pronounced specialisation of bacterioplankton communities. This study highlights the importance of habitat-specific factors in shaping microbial diversity within wetland ecosystems. Bacterioplankton communities are highly adaptable to fluctuating environmental conditions, making them essential indicators of wetland health and ecological balance. The results contribute to the understanding of the complex interactions between environmental conditions and microbial communities in wetlands.