Deciphering Global Patterns of Marine Microbial Community Assembly and Network Stability

Abstract

Microbial community assembly processes can help us understand ecology, evolution, and climatic influences on community composition while presenting opportunities for biotechnological applications and improved marine conservation. In this study, we have investigated species richness patterns, community assembly mechanisms, and interaction patterns of marine microbial communities by analysing 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data from 4,611 samples collected from major ocean microbiome projects. Using neutral community models, the iCAMP framework, and co-occurrence network analyses, we showed that stochastic processes drive microbial community assembly across all latitude zones. Drift was the primary driver of community assembly in polar communities. The polar microbial communities exhibited the highest modularity and network robustness, but were more vulnerable to hub removal. While previous studies have attributed higher stability of the polar communities to environmental filtering, our analyses reveal that the resilience of the community is dependent on a few central taxa. By classifying the genera as generalists and specialists, we further highlight the role played by the specialist taxa in maintaining the stability of the marine microbial community, especially under the pressures of climate change and global warming. Overall, our findings offer a latitudinal perspective on ocean microbial community stability and the effect of anthropogenic disturbances on these communities.