Biogeographical Patterns of Bacterial Communities and Their Antibiotic Resistomes in the Inland Waters of Southeast China
Peiju Fang, Peng Xiao, Fengjiao Tan, Yuanyuan Mo, Huihuang Chen, Uli Klümper, Thomas U. Berendonk, Jun Yang
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance has been a serious global threat to environmental and human health. The "One Health" concept further emphasizes the importance of monitoring the large-scale dissemination of ARGs. However, knowledge about the geographical patterns and driving mechanisms of bacterial communities and ARGs in natural freshwater environments is limited. This study uncovered the distinct biogeographical patterns of bacterial communities and ARG profiles in inland waters of southeast China under low-anthropogenic impact at a large scale. This study improved our understanding of ARG distribution in inland waters with emphasis on drinking water supply reservoirs, therefore providing the much-needed baseline information for future monitoring and risk assessment of ARGs in drinking water resources.