Distinct responses of bacterial communities to agricultural and urban impacts in temperate southern African estuaries.

摘要: Abstract Worldwide, estuaries are regarded as amongst the most ecologically threatened ecosystems and increasingly being impacted by urban development, agricultural activities reduced freshwater inflow. In this study, we examined influence of different human on diversity structure bacterial communities in water column sediment three distinct, temperate permanently open estuarine systems within same geographic region southern Africa. The Kariega system is freshwater-deprived considered to be relatively pristine; Kowie estuary marine-dominated while Sundays fresh-water dominated activity its catchment. all comprise predominantly heterotrophic species belonging Bacteroidetes Proteobacteria phyla with little overlap between bacterioplankton benthic at level. There was operational taxonomic units (OTUs) Kariega, both marine-influenced estuaries. However, lower richness Kowie, likely reflects impact settlements along estuary. dominant OTUs River were distinct from those an overall decrease evenness. This study provides important snapshot into microbial population structures anthropogenic impacts community structure.