Increasing Inundation Frequencies Enhance the Stochastic Process and Network Complexity of the Soil Archaeal Community in Coastal Wetlands
Gui‐Feng Gao, Dan Peng, Di Wu, Yihui Zhang, Haiyan Chu
Abstract
Coastal wetlands, subjected to regular disturbances by periodic tides, are highly productive and important in the regulation of climate change. However, the assembly mechanisms and co-occurrence patterns of soil archaeal communities in coastal areas remain poorly known, especially for their responses to increasing inundation frequencies. In this study, we aimed at unraveling these uncertainties by studying typical estuarine ecosystems in southern China. We show that increasing inundation frequencies enhance the stochastic processes and network complexity of the soil archaeal community. This study offers a new path for an improved understanding of archaeal community assembly and species coexistence in coastal environments, with a special focus on the role of inundation frequency.