Introduction of exotic species Sonneratia apetala alters diazotrophic community and stimulates nitrogen fixation in mangrove sediments

Xiaofang Huang; Qingsong Yang; Jianxiang Feng; Zhihao Yang; Chenxi Yu; Jian Zhang; Juan Ling; Junde Dong

Ecological Indicators (Sep 2022)

Introduction of exotic species Sonneratia apetala alters diazotrophic community and stimulates nitrogen fixation in mangrove sediments

Xiaofang Huang,
Qingsong Yang,
Jianxiang Feng,
Zhihao Yang,
Chenxi Yu,
Jian Zhang,
Juan Ling,
Junde Dong

Affiliations

Xiaofang Huang: CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China; Shantou Marine Plants Experiment Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shantou 515041, China; Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 511458, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Qingsong Yang: CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China; Shantou Marine Plants Experiment Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shantou 515041, China; Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 511458, China
Jianxiang Feng: School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China
Zhihao Yang: Guangdong Marine Development Planning Research Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
Chenxi Yu: CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China; Shantou Marine Plants Experiment Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shantou 515041, China; Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 511458, China
Jian Zhang: CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China; Shantou Marine Plants Experiment Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shantou 515041, China; Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 511458, China
Juan Ling: CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China; Shantou Marine Plants Experiment Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shantou 515041, China; Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 511458, China; Corresponding authors at: CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China.
Junde Dong: CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China; Shantou Marine Plants Experiment Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shantou 515041, China; Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 511458, China; Corresponding authors at: CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 142
p. 109179

Abstract

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Mangrove restoration by exotic mangrove species Sonneratia apetala has been practiced as a strategy to reconstruct mangrove wetlands. Diazotrophs in mangrove sediment are nitrogen suppliers for mangrove ecosystems. However, the response of sediment diazotrophs, especially their nitrogen fixation rates, to the introduction of exotic S. apetala remains unclear. In the present study, we compared the variations in sediment physicochemical properties, N2 fixation rate, and the composition of total bacterial and diazotrophic communities in mangrove sediments between exotic species (S. apetala) and three native species (i.e., Aegiceras corniculatum, Lumnitzera racemosa, and Rhizophora apiculata). Our results indicated that the introduction of exotic S. apetala significantly (P < 0.05) increased nutrient levels (including TC, TN, and TS) and improved the N2 fixation rate in sediments. Though S. apetala introduction had not caused significant changes in bacterial and diazotrophic alpha diversity, their community structure and composition were altered. The dominant diazotrophic groups were sulfur-oxidizing (SOB) and sulfate-reducing (SRB) bacteria. The relative abundance of Chromatiaceae (affiliated with SOB) significantly increased (P < 0.05), while the relative abundance of Desulfuromonadaceae (affiliated with SRB) decreased in S. apetala sediments. In addition, several SOB and SRB groups were identified as putative keystone taxa by network analysis, suggesting that SOB/SRB groups potentially played a central role in the biogeochemical cycles involving nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) of the mangrove ecosystem. Redundancy analysis revealed that C/N and NH4+-N were the key factors (P < 0.05) driving sediment diazotrophic communities. This study provides new insights into the ecological impact of exotic S. apetala introduction, which has important implications for the sustainable management and restoration of mangrove ecosystems.

Published in Ecological Indicators

ISSN: 1470-160X (Print); 1872-7034 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General): Ecology
Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/ecological-indicators

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