Insights into the structure of the pelagic microbial food web in the oligotrophic tropical Western Pacific: Examining trophic interactions and relationship with abiotic variables

Chaofeng Wang; Li Zhao; Yuanyuan Wei; Zhimeng Xu; Yanchu Zhao; Yuan Zhao; Wuchang Zhang; Tian Xiao

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115772

Insights into the structure of the pelagic microbial food web in the oligotrophic tropical Western Pacific: Examining trophic interactions and relationship with abiotic variables

Mar Pollut Bull. 2023 Dec:197:115772. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115772. Epub 2023 Nov 21.

Authors

Chaofeng Wang¹, Li Zhao², Yuanyuan Wei³, Zhimeng Xu⁴, Yanchu Zhao⁵, Yuan Zhao¹, Wuchang Zhang⁶, Tian Xiao¹

Affiliations

¹ CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China.
² CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China. Electronic address: zhaoli@qdio.ac.cn.
³ College of Marine Ecology and Environment, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
⁴ Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
⁵ Ecological Environment Monitoring and Scientific Research Center of Haihe River Basin and Beihai Sea Area, Ministry of Ecological Environment, Tianjin 300170, China.
⁶ CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China. Electronic address: wuchangzhang@qdio.ac.cn.

PMID: 37988968
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115772

Abstract

Microbial food webs (MFW) play an indispensable role in marine pelagic ecosystem, yet their composition and response to abiotic variables were poorly documented in the oligotrophic tropical Western Pacific. During winter of 2015, we conducted a survey to examine key components of MFW, including Synechococcus, Prochlorococcus, picoeukaryotes, heterotrophic prokaryotes (HP), heterotrophic/pigmented nanoflagellates and ciliates, across water column from surface to 2000 m. Each MFW component exhibited unique vertical distribution pattern, with abundance ratio varying over six and three orders of magnitude across Pico/Microplankton (1.6 ± 1.0 × 10⁶) and Nano/Microplankton (3.2 ± 2.8 × 10³), respectively. Furthermore, HP was main component for MFW in the bathypelagic (>1000 m) zone. Multivariate biota-environment analysis demonstrated that environmental variables, particularly temperature, significantly impacted MFW composition, suggesting that bottom-up control (resource availability) dominated the water column. Our study provides benchmark information for future environmental dynamics forcing on MFW in the oligotrophic tropical seas.

Keywords: Bottom-up control; Marine pelagic ecosystem; Microbial food web; Oligotrophic tropical Western Pacific; Trophic interaction.

MeSH terms

Ecosystem*
Food Chain*
Oceans and Seas
Plankton
Water

Substances

Water