The diversity, community dynamics, and interactions of the microbiome in the world's deepest blue hole: insights into extreme environmental response patterns and tolerance of marine microorganisms.

Abstract

This study comprehensively examined the community dynamics, functional profiles, and interactions of the microbiome in the world's deepest blue hole. The findings revealed a positive correlation between the α-diversities of Symbiodiniaceae and archaea, indicating the potential reliance of Symbiodiniaceae on archaea in an extreme environment resulting from a partial niche overlap. The negative association between the α-diversity and β-diversity of the bacterial community suggested that the change rule of the bacterial community was consistent with the Anna Karenina effects. The core microbiome comprised nine microbial taxa, highlighting their remarkable tolerance and adaptability to sharp environmental gradient variations. Bacteria and archaea played significant roles in carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles, while fungi contributed to carbon metabolism. This study advanced our understanding of the community dynamics, response patterns, and resilience of microorganisms populating the world's deepest blue hole, thereby facilitating further ecological and evolutional exploration of microbiomes in diverse extreme environments.