Kelp Culture Enhances Coastal Biogeochemical Cycles by Maintaining Bacterioplankton Richness and Regulating Its Interactions
Sun Yi, Hongjun Li, Hongjun Li, Xiaocheng Wang, Hongbo Li, Hongbo Li, Ye Deng
Abstract
In this study, we tried to address the effects of seaweed cultivation on the microbial biogeochemical cycles and the underlying relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem functions. We revealed clear enhancement of biogeochemical cycles in the seaweed cultivation areas compared to the non-mariculture coasts at both the beginning and ending of the culture cycle. Moreover, the enhanced biogeochemical cycling functions in the culture areas were found to contribute to the richness and interspecies interactions of bacterioplankton communities. The findings of this study allow us to better understand the effects of seaweed cultivation on coastal ecosystems and provide novel insights into the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functions.