Community Patterns Research Articles

Microbial diversity in the arid and semi‐arid soils of Botswana

AbstractTo date, little research has been conducted on the landscape‐scale distribution of soil microbial communities and the factors driving their community structures in the drylands of Africa. We investigated the influence of landscape‐scale variables on microbial community structure and diversity across different ecological zones in Botswana. We used amplicon sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA gene and fungal internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and a suite of environmental parameters to determine drivers of microbial community structure. Bacterial communities were dominated by Actinomycetota (21.1%), Pseudomonadota (15.9%), and Acidobacteriota (10.9%). The dominant fungal communities were Ascomycota (57.3%) and Basidiomycota (7.5%). Soil pH, mean annual precipitation, total organic carbon, and soil ions (calcium and magnesium) were the major predictors of microbial community diversity and structure. The co‐occurrence patterns of bacterial and fungal communities were influenced by soil pH, with network‐specific fungi–bacteria interactions observed. Potential keystone taxa were identified for communities in the different networks. Most of these interactions were between microbial families potentially involved in carbon cycling, suggesting functional redundancy in these soils. Our findings highlight the significance of soil pH in determining the landscape‐scale structure of microbial communities in Botswana's dryland soils.

Improved resolution of microbial diversity in deep-sea surface sediments using PacBio long-read 16S rRNA gene sequencing

ABSTRACT 16S rRNA gene sequencing is the gold standard for identifying microbial diversity in environmental communities. The Illumina short-read platform is widely used in marine environment studies due to its cost-effectiveness and high accuracy, but its limited read length restricts taxonomic identification mainly to genus or family levels. Recently, the PacBio long-read sequencing platform was developed. This method has exceptional base-level resolution exceeding 99%, thereby effectively mitigating the challenges associated with high error rates commonly observed in long-read sequencing technologies. However, few studies have compared the PacBio long-read and Illumina short-read platforms in marine deep-sea sediments. Here, the PacBio long-read and Illumina short-read platforms were compared with samples collected from the deep-sea surface sediments from the cold seep in the Shenhu area of the South China Sea offshore Pearl River Estuary. Comparisons revealed a more comprehensive taxonomic identification, α-diversity, and β-diversity by PacBio long-reads. The PacBio long-read platform exhibited higher classified rates and classified taxonomy at all levels, particularly at the species level. The PacBio long-read platform was also more accurate at capturing fine spatial-scale variations in microbial communities in sediments. Our studies will facilitate the selection of 16S rRNA sequencing platforms for investigating fine spatial-scale patterns in microbial communities in deep-sea surface sediments and serve as a crucial methodological reference for future studies on microbial diversity. IMPORTANCE The PacBio long-read platform, with its exceptional base-level resolution exceeding 99%, has advanced our comprehension of deep-sea microbial diversity. By comparing microbial community analyses conducted using the Illumina short-read and PacBio long-read sequencing platforms, we have provided an enhanced understanding of fine spatial-scale patterns in microbial community diversity with depth across a deep-sea sediment core, as well as methodological insights that will be valuable for future research in this field.

Pelagic cnidarian assemblages show range-edge effect at the boundary of ocean surface, as illustrated in the case of the Amazon River Plume

The neuston layer represents a complex community inhabiting the interface where oceanographic and atmospheric processes interact. Here, our aim was to compare patterns in the distribution and abundance of cnidarian assemblages observed in the neuston to parallel patterns previously observed in epipelagic waters along the spread of the Amazon River Plume over the Western Equatorial Atlantic, to test if the neuston reflects the patterns of the overall community whose core of distribution is located in epipelagic waters or are shaped by specific surface processes. The results show that both initial hypothesis were false. Instead, the cnidarian assemblages showed range-edge effect at the major ecotone placed at the interface between ocean and atmosphere. I.e., when proximate to the superior limits of their three-dimensional geographic ranges, represented here by the neuston, the population of most observed species occur in lower abundance. Specifically at the portion of the continental shelf with influence of the Amazon River Plume, the range-edge effect seems to be more prominent. Such results suggests the core of the cnidarian populations inhabiting this habit may lie in the deeper hypoxic waters beneath the plume. In conclusion, due the marked vertical structure observed here, proper evaluations of spatial patterns in the structure of pelagic cnidarian communities should preferentially be grounded on stratified sampling.

Urban environments increase generalization of hummingbird–plant networks across climate gradients

Urbanization has reshaped the distribution of biodiversity on Earth, but we are only beginning to understand its effects on ecological communities. While urbanization may have homogenization effects strong enough to blur the large-scale patterns in interaction networks, urban community patterns may still be associated with climate gradients reflecting large-scale biogeographical processes. Using 103 hummingbird–plant mutualistic networks across continental Americas, including 176 hummingbird and 1,180 plant species, we asked how urbanization affects species interactions over large climate gradients. Urban networks were more generalized, exhibiting greater interaction overlap. Higher generalization was also associated with lower precipitation in both urban and natural areas, indicating that climate affects networks irrespective of habitat type. Urban habitats also showed lower hummingbird functional trait diversity and over/underrepresentation of specific clades. From the plant side, urban communities had a higher prevalence of nonnative nectar plants, which were more frequently visited by the hummingbird species occurring in both urban and natural areas. Therefore, urbanization affected hummingbird–plant interactions through both the composition of species and traits, as well as floral resource availability. Taken together, we show that urbanization consistently modifies ecological communities and their interactions, but climate still plays a role in affecting the structure of these novel communities over the scale of continents.

Investigating the Effects of Elevation on Microbial Communities and Soil Properties at Fanjing Mountain, China

Elevation is one of the most influential factors affecting soil characteristics and microbial communities in forest ecosystems. Nevertheless, there is no consensus on how soil characteristics, soil microbials, and their relationships response to the elevation of the mountain ecosystem. We investigated the soil physicochemical characteristics, the activity of soil enzymes, and the microbial community at elevational sites from 600 to 2400 m above sea level (asl) in the western slopes of the Fanjing Mountain ecosystem, China. The soil microbial communities were determined by high throughput 16S rRNA and ITS amplicon sequencing. The results demonstrated that soil total nitrogen (TN) showed a slight decrease, whereas total phosphorus (TP) and total potassium (TK) gradually tended to increase with increasing elevation. The large macroaggregates (>2 mm) accounted for the largest proportion of the aggregate fraction (66.23%–76.13%) in the 0–10 cm soil layer with elevation. The average values of the soil electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic carbon (SOC), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) concentration in the 0–60 cm layer undulated with increasing elevation, and the highest values were observed at 1500–1800 m asl and 1800–2100 m asl, respectively. The activities of soil urease, sucrase, acid phosphatase, and catalase clearly differed (p < 0.05) with increasing elevation, and the minimum values were found at 2100–2400 m asl. Interesting, with increasing soil depth, the values of these factors tended to decrease, indicating surface aggregation. In addition, the soil microbial (bacterial and fungal) community diversity exhibited a single-peak pattern with elevation. Our results also revealed that the soil bacterial and fungal communities varied significantly at different elevation sites. The bacterial communities were dominated by the phyla Acidobacteria, Pseudomonadota, and Chloroflexi, and the phyla Basidiomycota and Ascomycota dominated the fungal communities. The Pearson and redundancy analyses revealed that the SOC, TP, four soil enzymes, and soil aggregates were significant factors influencing the soil microbial community. In conclusion, soil properties and enzyme activities jointly explained the elevational pattern of the soil microbial community in the Fanjing Mountain. The results of this study provide insights into the influence of elevation on soil characteristics, microbial communities, and their relationships in the Fanjing Mountain ecosystem.

Vertical fungal community distribution patterns along a stratified soil profile in subalpine Larix principis-rupprechtii plantations on China's Luya mountain

Soil microorganisms play important roles in the biogeochemical cycling of terrestrial ecosystems. Recent studies found that soil fungal composition and diversity varied significantly with soil depth. However, little is known about the vertical distribution patterns of soil fungal communities and their associated drivers. For this study, we collected soil samples from six soil layers (i.e., litter layer (P), humus layer (P0), 0–10 cm layer (P1), 10–20 cm layer (P2), 20–40 cm layer (P3), and 40–80 cm layer (P4)) within Larix principis-rupprechtii plantations to investigate fungal community composition, diversity, and associated drivers using Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing. Results showed that the top 10 dominant genera with the highest relative abundance belonged to Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mortierellomycota. A decreasing α-diversity trend was observed along with soil depth. Moreover, correlation analysis showed that ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N), pH, total carbon (TC), and total nitrogen (TN) content markedly correlated with fungal α-diversity. Significant β-diversity differences were found in soil fungal communities. Additionally, TN and total phosphorus (TP) content were the main environmental drivers that influenced the spatial distribution pattern of fungal communities. The βNTI showed a gradual increase with soil depth. In the surface layers of soil, the dominant factor of fungal community assembly was homogeneous selection, while in the deep layers of soil, it was variable selection. Co-occurrence network analysis showed that fungal community interactions in the deepest soil layer (40–80 cm) were more complex and were more positive. Results from this study provide a theoretical basis and data support to understand the mechanisms of soil fungal community assembly processes more deeply in L. principis-rupprechtii plantations.

Revisiting, Reframing and Recovering Learning Loss: An Arched Impression on Primary Education During Covid Epoch

Amidst the pandemic phase, students have not learned what they were supposed to learn in normal classroom days while many forgot the lessons taught in pre-pandemic time. As a result of the extended and unprecedented shutdown of schools, educational institutes globally happen to be in a state of unfortunate extremity with prodigious dissipation in the learning process. The present study intended to find out the aspect of learning loss of children consequential to the protracted shutdown of schools. Based on 1200 primary students, the study employs various parametric and non-parametric tests. The study found learning loss about 1.530 points with standard deviation 0.468. Further, though learning loss is not significantly evident among genders but differs regionally. Due to learning loss, numerical skill and hand writing fluency also note a marked difference in many primary classes. The study proposed recommendations for achieving universal primary education during the Covid-19 pandemic era. The study envisaged an exclusive inquiry in the domain of socio-economic literature by scanning the lifestyle patterns of an academic community in a distinct empirical approach. The outcomes delivered from the study undertaken may strive to assist in the formulation of developmental policies for the growth and betterment of future generations.

Word of mouth: Mouthing patterns in a bimodal multilingual deaf community

Word of mouth: Mouthing patterns in a bimodal multilingual deaf community

The role of gut microbiota in a generalist, golden snub-nosed monkey, adaptation to geographical diet change

Changes in diet causing ecological stress pose a significant challenge to animal survival. In response, the gut microbiota, a crucial part of the host’s digestive system, exhibits patterns of change reflective of alterations in the host’s food component. The impact of temporal dietary shifts on gut microbiota has been elucidated through multidimensional modeling of both food component and macronutrient intake. However, the broad distribution of wild generalist and the intricate complexity of their food component hinder our capacity to ascertain the degree to which their gut microbiota assist in adapting to spatial dietary variations. We examined variation in patterns of the gut microbial community according to changes in diet and in a colobine monkey with a regional variable diet, the golden snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana). Specifically, we analyse the interactions between variation in food component, macronutrient intake and the gut microbial community. We compared monkeys from four populations by quantifying food component and macronutrient intake, and by sequencing 16S rRNA and the microbial macro-genomes from the faecal samples of 44 individuals. We found significant differences in the diets and gut microbial compositions, in nutrient space and macronutrient intake among some populations. Variations in gut microbiota composition across distinct populations mirror the disparities in macronutrient intake, with a notable emphasis on carbohydrate. Geographical differences in the diet among of golden snub-nosed monkey populations will result in macronutrient intake variation, with corresponding differences in macronutrient intake driving regional differences in the compositions and abundances of gut microbiota. Importantly, the gut microbiota associated with core digestive functions does not vary, with the non-core gut microbiota fluctuating in response to variation in macronutrient intake. This characteristic may enable species heavily reliant on gut microbiota for digestion to adapt to diet changes. Our results further the understanding of the roles gut microbiota play in the formation of host dietary niches.

Effects of Different Wheat Varieties on Soil Bacterial and Fungal Communities

ABSTRACTThe diversity and stability of soil microbial communities are indispensable components for maintaining the functions and services of agricultural ecosystems and play crucial roles in wheat production. However, the effects of different wheat varieties on soil microbial diversity, network complexity, stability, and assembly mechanisms remain largely unexplored. To bridge this research gap, we conducted field experiments in Chuzhou, China, to study the yield and soil microbial community composition of six different wheat varieties. The soil bacterial and fungal communities were investigated using high‐throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA and ITS gene regions. Our findings indicated that, compared to common wheat, high‐yielding and disease‐resistant (HD) wheat increased both bacterial and fungal α‐diversity by regulating soil nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, significantly affecting community structure (Adonis, p < 0.001). HD wheat significantly altered the co‐occurrence network patterns of soil microbial communities. Network analyses revealed that HD wheat increased the complexity of fungal networks while exhibiting the opposite trend for bacterial networks. However, both the bacterial and fungal networks demonstrated increased stability. Furthermore, HD wheat may increase microbial migration rates, influencing assembly processes by promoting stochastic processes in bacterial and fungal communities. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the ecological functions and driving factors of soil microbes, offering information for the development of ecological management strategies to achieve sustainable wheat cultivation and improve soil quality. Furthermore, HD wheat significantly modified the co‐occurrence network patterns of the soil microbial communities. Network analysis revealed increased fungal network complexity in HD wheat, whereas bacterial networks showed the opposite trend. However, both the bacterial and fungal networks exhibited enhanced stability. Additionally, HD wheat likely increased microbial migration rates, influencing assembly processes by promoting stochastic processes in both bacterial and fungal communities. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the ecological functions and driving factors of soil microbes, providing information for the development of ecological management strategies to achieve sustainable wheat cultivation and improve soil quality.

Stronger biogeographical pattern of bacterioplankton communities than biofilm communities along a riverine ecosystem: a local scale study of the Kaidu river in the arid and semi-arid northwest of China

Although the biogeographical pattern and mechanisms underlying microbial assembly have been well-explored in lentic ecosystems, the relevant scenarios in lotic ecosystems remain poorly understood. By sequencing the bacterial communities in bacterioplankton and biofilm, our study detected their distance-decay relationship (DDR), and the balance between deterministic and stochastic processes, along the Kaidu river in an arid and semi-arid region of northwest China. Our results revealed that bacterioplankton and biofilm had significantly contrasting community structures. The bacterioplankton communities showed a gradually decreasing trend in alpha-diversity from the headwater to the river mouth, contrasting with the alpha-diversity of biofilm communities which was constant along the river length. Both bacterioplankton and biofilm showed significant DDRs along the 500-km river corridor with the slope of the bacterioplankton DDR being steeper than that of the biofilm DDR, which implies a stronger biogeography of bacterioplankton than biofilm. Relative to biofilm communities, the species interactions formed a denser and more complex network in the bacterioplankton communities than in the biofilm communities. Our results also revealed that there was a transition of community assembly from deterministic to stochastic processes upstream to downstream, although both the bacterioplankton and biofilm communities were mainly regulated by deterministic processes within the entire river. All these empirical results expand our knowledge of microbial ecology in an arid and semi-arid lotic ecosystem.

Disentangling the role of biotic and abiotic factors in shaping microbial biogeographic patterns in the large spatial scale ocean

Across large oceanic spatial scales, the mechanisms governing microbial community composition remain poorly understood, particularly regarding the influence of biotic factors. In this study, samples were collected over a 3772.55-kilometer transect in the Western Pacific surface waters, with 16S and 18S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing employed to elucidate the assembly processes and drivers of microbial communities. Both eukaryotic (EM) and prokaryotic microbial (PM) communities exhibited a significant distance-decay relationship throughout the survey, although their assembly mechanisms differed. Biotic factors played a pivotal role in shaping the biogeographical patterns of both EM and PM communities, indicating that cross-domain microbial interactions significantly affect each other's distribution. Furthermore, the stability of the co-occurrence network was more strongly influenced by cross-domain microbial relationships than by keystone taxa. These findings advance our understanding of the mechanisms and biogeographical patterns sustaining microbial diversity across large oceanic spatial scales.

Soil cover heterogeneity associated with biocrusts predicts patch-level plant diversity patterns

ContextSoil resource heterogeneity drives plant species diversity patterns at local and landscape scales. In drylands, biocrusts are patchily distributed and contribute to soil resource heterogeneity important for plant establishment and growth. Yet, we have a limited understanding of how such heterogeneity may relate to patterns of plant diversity and community structure.ObjectivesWe explored relationships between biocrust-associated soil cover heterogeneity and plant diversity patterns in a cool desert ecosystem. We asked: (1) does biocrust-associated soil cover heterogeneity predict plant diversity and community composition? and (2) can we use high-resolution remote sensing data to calculate soil cover heterogeneity metrics that could be used to extrapolate these patterns across landscapes?MethodsWe tested associations among field-based measures of plant diversity and soil cover heterogeneity. We then used a Support Vector Machine classification to map soil, plant and biocrust cover from sub-centimeter resolution Unoccupied Aerial System (UAS) imagery and compared the mapped results to field-based measures.ResultsField-based soil cover heterogeneity and biocrust cover were positively associated with plant diversity and predicted community composition. The accuracy of UAS-mapped soil cover classes varied across sites due to variation in timing and quality of image collections, but the overall results suggest that UAS are a promising data source for generating detailed, spatially explicit soil cover heterogeneity metrics.ConclusionsResults improve understanding of relationships between biocrust-associated soil cover heterogeneity and plant diversity and highlight the promise of high-resolution UAS data to extrapolate these patterns over larger landscapes which could improve conservation planning and predictions of dryland responses to soil degradation under global change.

Disruption of Pastoral Nomadism: The Impacts of Russian Colonialism on the Kazakh Steppe during the 19ᵗʰ and 20ᵗʰ Centuries

This study examines the multifaceted impacts of Russian colonization on the Kazakh Steppes during the 19ᵗʰ and 20ᵗʰ centuries. The colonization process caused significant destruction in various fields in the region, including migration routes, livestock herds, socioeconomic life, trade networks, housing and dietary patterns of nomadic communities. Russian expansionism, aimed at establishing control over the steppe, led to the blockage of ancient migration routes and the restriction of nomadic economic resources. The blockage of migration routes, forced transition to capitalism, forced sedentarization and interaction with sedentary life transformed the livestock herds of the nomads. Socio-economic life and trade were restructured by the Tsardom for reasons such as integration into the Russian Empire market, change of commercial centers and concentration of wealth. The changing structure of pastoral nomadism also led to transformations in housing and diet. Comprehending the complex dynamics of Russian colonialism on the Kazakh Steppe will reveal the destruction of nomadic life by scrutinizing the historical and contemporary sociocultural landscape of the region.

Fungal Footprints: Soil Fungal Communities in Black Walnut and Red Oak Forests

Soil fungal communities are critical for forest ecosystem functions in the Central Hardwood Region (CHR) of the USA. This evaluation, which took place in 2022–2023, investigates the influence of Juglans nigra (BW, black walnut) and Quercus rubra (NRO, Northern red oak) on soil properties and fungal community structures across three CHR sites. The objectives of this study are to investigate how the fungal communities identified beneath J. nigra and Q. rubra serve to influence biodiversity and soil health within hardwood plantations. Soils from two locations in Indiana and one in Michigan were examined and assessed for variations in fungal composition and diversity. Soil fungal communities were characterized using Illumina high-throughput sequencing while multivariate analysis was applied to analyze patterns in these fungal communities. These data provided insights into how environment, location, and tree species affect fungal community structure. Results indicate that J. nigra soils exhibited higher carbon (0.36%, 1.02%, 0.72%), nitrogen (25%, 29%, 56%), and pH (0.46, 1.08, 1.54) levels than Q. rubra soils across all three sites and foster greater fungal diversity. Specifically, J. nigra was associated with increased Ascomycota diversity, whereas Q. rubra supported a higher prevalence of Basidiomycota. Basidiomycota were negatively correlated with carbon and pH, while Ascomycota showed positive correlations with these variables. These findings highlight how crucial it is to understand how different tree species influence fungal communities and, consequently, how they influence forest soil health. Our findings serve to improve forest management practices by emphasizing the importance of fungal communities in maintaining the function and resilience of an ecosystem. Our study underscores that grasping these specific interactions is essential for effective forest management, especially when considering how to use fungal communities to boost plant growth. This work focuses on hardwood plantations rather than either agricultural ecosystems, monocultures, or native forests, thus filling a gap in the current literature where many studies are limited to specific fungal groups such as mycorrhizae. In future research, it is important to examine a wider range of tree species. This will deepen our understanding of fungal community dynamics and their impact on maintaining healthy forest ecosystems. Our hardwood plantation focus also notes the potential for adaptive forest management as environmental conditions change.

Forest types matter for the community and co-occurrence network patterns of soil bacteria, fungi, and nematodes

Tree growth influences the biological, physical, and chemical properties of the soil through the input of different types of litter and various root exudates. However, our understanding of tree-mediated effects on the composition and diversity of soil biota remains limited. This study aimed to determine the effects of physically neighboring forest types (i.e., an artificial Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) plantation vs. a broadleaf (Quercus serrata) secondary forest) on individual bacterial, fungal, and nematode communities and the associations among these inter-kingdoms. Bacterial, fungal, and nematode aggregates were estimated using MiSeq high-throughput sequencing system. The amplicon sequence variant richness of fungi and nematodes was significantly greater in the cedar plantation than in the broadleaf forest, and the three soil biota community structures were significantly clustered among the forest types. Environmental factors such as soil pH, C, N, and C/N ratio significantly influenced the three soil biota community structures. The bacterial–fungal–nematode co-occurrence network of the broadleaf forest had more nodes and edges than that of the cedar plantation. Moreover, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota fungi mainly co-occurred with fungivorous nematodes in the cedar and broadleaf forests, respectively. Our results suggested that unique soil biota communities and characteristic co-occurrence network patterns were established among the tripartite inter-kingdom relationships between adjacent forest types.

Temporal variability and predictability predict alpine plant community composition and distribution patterns.

One of the most reliable features of natural systems is that they change through time. Theory predicts that temporally fluctuating conditions shape community composition, species distribution patterns, and life history variation, yet features of temporal variability are rarely incorporated into studies of species-environment associations. In this study, we evaluated how two components of temporal environmental variation-variability and predictability-impact plant community composition and species distribution patterns in the alpine tundra of the Southern Rocky Mountains in Colorado (USA). Using the Sensor Network Array at the Niwot Ridge Long-Term Ecological Research site, we used in situ, high-resolution temporal measurements of soil moisture and temperature from 13 locations ("nodes") distributed throughout an alpine catchment to characterize the annual mean, variability, and predictability in these variables in each of four consecutive years. We combined these data with annual vegetation surveys at each node to evaluate whether variability over short (within-day) and seasonal (2- to 4-month) timescales could predict patterns in plant community composition, species distributions, and species abundances better than models that considered average annual conditions alone. We found that metrics for variability and predictability in soil moisture and soil temperature, at both daily and seasonal timescales, improved our ability to explain spatial variation in alpine plant community composition. Daily variability in soil moisture and temperature, along with seasonal predictability in soil moisture, was particularly important in predicting community composition and species occurrences. These results indicate that the magnitude and patterns of fluctuations in soil moisture and temperature are important predictors of community composition and plant distribution patterns in alpine plant communities. More broadly, these results highlight that components of temporal change provide important niche axes that can partition species with different growth and life history strategies along environmental gradients in heterogeneous landscapes.

Seasonal dynamics and diversity of Antarctic marine viruses reveal a novel viral seascape

The Southern Ocean microbial ecosystem, with its pronounced seasonal shifts, is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Since viruses are key modulators of microbial abundance, diversity, and evolution, we need a better understanding of the effects of seasonality on the viruses in this region. Our comprehensive exploration of DNA viral diversity in the Southern Ocean reveals a unique and largely uncharted viral landscape, of which 75% was previously unidentified in other oceanic areas. We uncover novel viral taxa at high taxonomic ranks, expanding our understanding of crassphage, polinton-like virus, and virophage diversity. Nucleocytoviricota viruses represent an abundant and diverse group of Antarctic viruses, highlighting their potential as important regulators of phytoplankton population dynamics. Our temporal analysis reveals complex seasonal patterns in marine viral communities (bacteriophages, eukaryotic viruses) which underscores the apparent interactions with their microbial hosts, whilst deepening our understanding of their roles in the world’s most sensitive and rapidly changing ecosystem.

Identity Construction in Fan Community: An Analysis of Online Discourse among (G)I-DLE Fans in Mainland China on Sina Weibo

Fandom has become a social and cultural phenomenon reflecting practical activities in the fan community. The prevalence of social media and online fan communities has facilitated the transnational industries of Korean popular culture (K-pop) in mainland China. Fans are enthusiastic about creating posts dedicated to their idol(s) or music bands to broaden the influence of the celebrities and establish personal connections with them. The unique interaction patterns in the K-pop fan community reflect the process of fans’ identity identification and construction. This article explores how mainland fans employ discursive strategies to construct their identity and legitimize their behaviors on social media. A total of 80 posts in (G)I-DLE Super Topic made by mainland China netizens have been collected from Sina Weibo. The findings illustrate the construction of both individual and collective identities among fans, which are shaped by various contexts and different communicative purposes. Further analysis explores the potential impact of fans' identities within online communities on the K-pop market in mainland China.

Identity Construction in Fan Community: An Analysis of Online Discourse among (G)I-DLE Fans in Mainland China on Sina Weibo

Fandom has become a social and cultural phenomenon reflecting practical activities in the fan community. The prevalence of social media and online fan communities has facilitated the transnational industries of Korean popular culture (K-pop) in mainland China. Fans are enthusiastic about creating posts dedicated to their idol(s) or music bands to broaden the influence of the celebrities and establish personal connections with them. The unique interaction patterns in the K-pop fan community reflect the process of fans’ identity identification and construction. This article explores how mainland fans employ discursive strategies to construct their identity and legitimize their behaviors on social media. A total of 80 posts in (G)I-DLE Super Topic made by mainland China netizens have been collected from Sina Weibo. The findings illustrate the construction of both individual and collective identities among fans, which are shaped by various contexts and different communicative purposes. Further analysis explores the potential impact of fans' identities within online communities on the K-pop market in mainland China.