Microbial Communities in Mangrove Ecosystems of South China
This study explores how bacterial communities assemble in mangrove forests that are environmentally similar but geographically isolated along the southeast coast of China. We analyzed 136 sediment and rhizosphere samples from 17 sites and found that bacterial diversity declined from south to north, and community similarity decreased with geographic distance. Spatial factors were most influential, followed by climatic and soil factors. Dispersal limitation played the dominant role in shaping community composition, while homogeneous selection also contributed. Despite strong geographic isolation, similar soil conditions especially carbon content help maintain functional convergence among distinct mangrove bacterial communities.