Seasonal and spatial drivers of microbiome structure in the invasive mussel Brachidontes pharaonis
This project investigates the microbial community dynamics of the invasive mussel Brachidontes pharaonis across diverse environmental gradients. Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we characterized the mussel's microbiome during summer and winter across distinct coastal locations. We selected locations to represent both clean and polluted coasts with varying levels of pollution, based on historical and literature records. We classified sites with lower anthropogenic burden as clean, the assumed polluted locations were in Haifa Bay. We considered four locations along the Israeli Mediterranean coast, including Habonim, Neve Yam, Qiryat Yam, and Akko. The study aims to distinguish the core microbiome residents from transient peripheral taxa and evaluate how anthropogenic stress and seasonal temperature shifts influence holobiont stability. Our findings provide insights into the ecological resilience and adaptive capacity of B. pharaonis, contributing to a better understanding of the microbial mechanisms underpinning its successful colonization of the Eastern Mediterranean.