ElbeEstuarineWaterMicrobiota
The Elbe Estuary (Germany) is a well-monitored system but heavily impacted by human activities. Despite well-documented changes in ecosystem status, little is known about the microbial community in its surface waters. In this study, we used 16S rDNA sequencing to characterize bacterial communities in surface waters of the Elbe Estuary. 129 samples were collected across three seasons (winter, spring, and summer) in 2021 and 2022, to assess the relationship between environmental factors and bacterial community structure.