Bacterial amplicon analysis of coastal wetland soils
This project investigates depth-dependent effects of Spartina alterniflora invasion on soil bacterial and fungal communities in the Yancheng coastal salt marsh wetland, China. Soil samples were collected from three depth intervals (0-15, 15-30, and 30-45 cm) across four vegetation communities: a Spartina alterniflora monoculture, a Suaeda salsa community, a Phragmites australis-Imperata cylindrica mixed community, and a Phragmites australis-Spartina alterniflora mixed community. Amplicon sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene V4 region and the fungal ITS1 region was used to characterize microbial diversity, community composition, and depth-dependent community assembly patterns. The data support evaluation of how invasive and native vegetation influence belowground microbial ecology and soil ecosystem stability in coastal wetlands.