Climate Change and Eutrophication Induced Shifts in Northern Summer Plankton Communities

Marine ecosystems are undergoing substantial changes due to human-induced pressures. Analysis of long-term data series is a valuable tool for understanding naturally and anthropogenically induced changes in plankton communities. In the present study, seasonal monitoring data were collected in three sub-basins of the northern Baltic Sea between 1979 and 2011 and statistically analysed for trends and interactions between surface water hydrography, inorganic nutrient concentrations and phyto- and zooplankton community composition. The most conspicuous hydrographic change was a significant increase in late summer surface water temperatures over the study period. In addition, salinity decreased and dissolved inorganic nutrient concentrations increased in some basins. Based on redundancy analysis (RDA), warming was the key environmental factor explaining the observed changes in plankton communities: the general increase in total phytoplankton biomass, Cyanophyceae, Prymnesiophyceae and Chrysophyceae, and decrease in Cryptophyceae throughout the study area, as well as increase in rotifers and decrease in total zooplankton, cladoceran and copepod abundances in some basins. We conclude that the plankton communities in the Baltic Sea have shifted towards a food web structure with smaller sized organisms, leading to decreased energy available for grazing zooplankton and planktivorous fish. The shift is most probably due to complex interactions between warming, eutrophication and increased top-down pressure due to overexploitation of resources, and the resulting trophic cascades.     

Landscape Development and Coastal Wetland Losses in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

The causes of the extensive (0.86%/yr; 288,414 ha/yr) and welldocumented dramatic and accelerating rate of coastal wetlandloss in the northern Gulf of Mexico were investigated by aninterdisciplinary university research team to discern the roleof outer continental shelf development. The landscape changesand potential causal agents are emphasized herein. Natural drivingfactors include sea level rise and geological compaction, whichappear to remain constant this century, and sediment supplyfrom the Mississippi River which has declined by 50%,since the1950s. Man-made influences include hydrologic changes from riverdiversions, flood protection levees, an extensive canal andspoil bank network, belowground fluid withdrawal and accidentaland intentional impoundments. Wetland loss is not simply a geologicalphenomenon. Wetland plants hold sediments together, add to verticalaccretion rates, withstand storm winds and waves, and assistin sediment trapping. Plant physiologic stress is documentedwhere hydrologic changes occur, and much of the wetland losscould be attributed to the effects of soil waterlogging on plants,not to sediment deprivation.     

Biotic Assemblages and Ecological Controls on Reefs and Banks of the Northwest Gulf of Mexico

This paper summarizes the results of investigations of the ecologyof reefs and banks in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. Nearshoresurface waters are turbid out to approximately the 10 m isobath.A turbid nepheloid layer up to 20 m in thickness exists beyondthis depth. Seasonal temperature and salinity variability ishigh in nearshore waters. At the shelf edge, the temperatureto 50 m depth remains above 19°C. Topographic prominencesare common in the region. Most are surface expressions of thediapirism of underlying salt domes derived from deeply buriedJurassic salt deposits. Biotic zonation on the banks is primarilydepth related. Zones of major reef-building include the Diploria-Montastrea-Porites Zone (15–36 m), the Madracis Zone (28–46m), the Stephanocoenia-Millepora Zone (36–52 m), and theAlgal-Sponge Zone (45–98 m). A zone of minor reefbuildingon some banks is the Millepora Zone (18–52 m). An AntipatharianTransitional Zone exists from 56 to over 100 m on some banks.The Nepheloid Zone near the base of the banks is a zone of noreef-building. Not all zones are present on all banks. The communitystructure and depths of these zones depend on and are modifiedby the regional current regime, depth of the bank crests, substratecharacteristics, winter temperature minima, river influences,and the relative depth and thickness of the nepheloid layer.Nearshore communities are warm temperate in nature, though tropicalorganisms are occasionally abundant. Progressing offshore, thebenthos becomes increasingly tropical. The northerly locationand isolated nature of the Flower Gardens have lead to reducedcommunity diversity (e.g., only 18 of the 55 Western Atlantichermatypic coral species exist), but not reduced abundancesor growth rates of the species present. Assemblages on otherbanks exist below the tolerance limits of thriving tropicalreefs due to their frequent immersion in turbid water, excessivecrest depths, or lower minimum winter temperatures.     

Changes in the Fine Structure of Microbial Cells Induced by Chaotropic Salts

The electron microscopic examination of thin sections of cells of the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia pastoris and the gram-positive bacteria Micrococcus luteus and Bacillus subtilis showed that cell treatment with the chaotropic salts guanidine hydrochloride (6 M) and guanidine thiocyanate (4 M) at 37°C for 3–5 h or at 100°C for 5–6 min induced degradative processes, which affected almost all cellular structures. The cell wall, however, retained its ultrastructure, integrity, and rigidity, due to which the morphology of cells treated with the chaotropic salts did not change. High-molecular-weight DNA was localized in a new cell compartment, the ectoplasm (a peripheral hydrophilic zone). The chaotropic salts destroyed the outer and inner membranes and partially degraded the outer and inner protein coats of Bacillus subtilis spores, leaving their cortex (the murein layer) unchanged. The spore core became accessible to stains and showed the presence of regions with high and low electron densities. The conditions of cell treatment with the chaotropic salts were chosen to provide for efficient in situ PCR analysis of the 16S and 18S rRNA genes with the use of oligonucleotide primers.     

Long-Term Observations of Epibenthic Fish Zonation in the Deep Northern Gulf of Mexico

A total of 172 bottom trawl/skimmer samples (183 to 3655-m depth) from three deep-sea studies, R/V Alaminos cruises (1964–1973), Northern Gulf of Mexico Continental Slope (NGoMCS) study (1983–1985) and Deep Gulf of Mexico Benthos (DGoMB) program (2000 to 2002), were compiled to examine temporal and large-scale changes in epibenthic fish species composition. Based on percent species shared among samples, faunal groups (≥10% species shared) consistently reoccurred over time on the shelf-break (ca. 200 m), upper-slope (ca. 300 to 500 m) and upper-to-mid slope (ca. 500 to 1500 m) depths. These similar depth groups also merged when the three studies were pooled together, suggesting that there has been no large-scale temporal change in depth zonation on the upper section of the continental margin. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) also detected no significant species changes on the limited sites and areas that have been revisited across the studies (P>0.05). Based on the ordination of the species shared among samples, species replacement was a continuum along a depth or macrobenthos biomass gradient. Despite the well-known, close, negative relationship between water depth and macrofaunal biomass, the fish species changed more rapidly at depth shallower than 1,000 m, but the rate of change was surprisingly slow at the highest macrofaunal biomass (>100 mg C m⁻²), suggesting that the composition of epibenthic fishes was not altered in response to the extremely high macrofaunal biomass in the upper Mississippi and De Soto Submarine Canyons. An alternative is that the pattern of fish species turnover is related to the decline in macrofaunal biomass, the presumptive prey of the fish, along the depth gradient.     

Relationships between Environmental Factors and Pathogenic Vibrios in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Although autochthonous vibrio densities are known to be influenced by water temperature and salinity, little is understood about other environmental factors associated with their abundance and distribution. Densities of culturable Vibrio vulnificus containing vvh (V. vulnificus hemolysin gene) and V. parahaemolyticus containing tlh (thermolabile hemolysin gene, ubiquitous in V. parahaemolyticus), tdh (thermostable direct hemolysin gene, V. parahaemolyticus pathogenicity factor), and trh (tdh-related hemolysin gene, V. parahaemolyticus pathogenicity factor) were measured in coastal waters of Mississippi and Alabama. Over a 19-month sampling period, vibrio densities in water, oysters, and sediment varied significantly with sea surface temperature (SST). On average, tdh-to-tlh ratios were significantly higher than trh-to-tlh ratios in water and oysters but not in sediment. Although tlh densities were lower than vvh densities in water and in oysters, the opposite was true in sediment. Regression analysis indicated that SST had a significant association with vvh and tlh densities in water and oysters, while salinity was significantly related to vibrio densities in the water column. Chlorophyll a levels in the water were correlated significantly with vvh in sediment and oysters and with pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus (tdh and trh) in the water column. Furthermore, turbidity was a significant predictor of V. parahaemolyticus density in all sample types (water, oyster, and sediment), and its role in predicting the risk of V. parahaemolyticus illness may be more important than previously realized. This study identified (i) culturable vibrios in winter sediment samples, (ii) niche-based differences in the abundance of vibrios, and (iii) predictive signatures resulting from correlations between environmental parameters and vibrio densities.Vibrio spp. occur naturally in estuarine and marine environments, and two species of this genus, V. vulnificus and V. parahaemolyticus, are responsible for the majority of reported vibrio illnesses in the United States (2). V. vulnificus infections are most commonly associated with the Gulf of Mexico, either via consumption of raw oysters harvested from these waters or wound infections following exposure to seawater. On average, about 50 cases of V. vulnificus septicemia are reported in the United States each year, with a case fatality rate of approximately 50% (31), the highest of any food-borne pathogen. In contrast, V. parahaemolyticus is the most common cause of seafood-associated bacterial gastroenteritis in the United States, with an estimated annual rate of 4,500 cases per year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. V. parahaemolyticus also causes wound infections, though these are less frequent and less severe compared to those caused by V. vulnificus (5). Primary septicemia can occur following V. parahaemolyticus infection, but it is relatively rare for this pathogen. In the United States, V. parahaemolyticus illness most often results from consumption of raw or undercooked seafood, particularly oysters.It is well established that vibrio densities correlate strongly with sea surface temperature (SST), with densities increasing as temperatures increase; however, with the exception of salinity, little is definitively known about the influence of other environmental parameters, such as turbidity and chlorophyll a (22, 33). Consequently, while SST has been estimated to explain approximately 50% of the annual variation of V. parahaemolyticus abundance in oysters harvested from the northern Gulf of Mexico (40), a considerable amount of variation remains unexplained. It is of interest to delineate the effects of other environmental parameters independent of SST, as these parameters may be associated with spatial and temporal variation of vibrio densities within seasonal periods when SST is relatively constant and risk of human exposure and illness is high. Moreover, the majority of what is known about V. parahaemolyticus in the environment is based on total populations; little information is available on the pathogenic subpopulations. Isolates containing genetic markers for pathogenicity factors, including the thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH) and TDH-related hemolysin (TRH) typically constitute <1% of the population in marine or postharvest oyster samples, but they account for >90% of clinical isolates (12). The basis for V. vulnificus pathogenicity remains unclear, as few pathogenicity factors have been described definitively (31). To address these data gaps, we monitored densities of culturable V. vulnificus containing vvh (the V. vulnificus hemolysin gene) and V. parahaemolyticus containing tlh (the thermolabile hemolysin gene, ubiquitous in V. parahaemolyticus), tdh, and trh in water, oysters, and sediment collected from coastal waters of Mississippi and Alabama. Associations between bacterial densities and environmental parameters were analyzed by regressing observations against sea surface temperature, chlorophyll a, turbidity, and salinity.     

DNA barcoding significantly improves resolution of invasive lionfish diet in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Invasive Indo-Pacific red lionfish (Pterois volitans) have become well-established residents within reef communities across the western Atlantic Ocean where they pose substantial threats to native fish communities and reef ecosystems. Species-specific identification of prey is necessary to elucidate predator–prey interactions, but can be challenging with traditional visual identification methods given prey are often highly digested, thus not identifiable visually. To supplement visual diet analysis of lionfish (n = 934) sampled in the northern Gulf of Mexico, we applied DNA barcoding to identify otherwise unidentifiable fish prey (n = 696) via amplification of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) of the mitochondrial genome. Barcoding nearly doubled the number of identifiable fish prey, thereby greatly enhancing our ability to describe lionfish diet. Thirty-three fish prey species were identified via barcoding, twenty-four of which were not previously detected by traditional methods. Some exploited reef fishes were newly reported (e.g., red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus) or found to constitute higher proportions of lionfish diet than previously reported (e.g., vermilion snapper, Rhomboplites aurorubens). Barcoding added a significant amount of new dietary information, and we observed the highest prey diversity reported to date for invasive lionfish. Potential cannibalism on juveniles also was identified via DNA barcoding, with the highest incidence corresponding to high lionfish densities, thus suggesting density-dependent prey demand may have driven this response. Overall, DNA barcoding greatly enhanced our ability to describe invasive lionfish diet in this study, suggesting that even studies with relatively large diet sample sizes could benefit from barcoding analysis.     

From Puffins to Plankton: A DNA-Based Analysis of a Seabird Food Chain in the Northern Gulf of Maine

The predator-prey interactions within food chains are used to both characterize and understand ecosystems. Conventional methods of constructing food chains from visual identification of prey in predator diet can suffer from poor taxonomic resolution, misidentification, and bias against small or completely digestible prey. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology has become a powerful tool for diet reconstruction through barcoding of DNA in stomach content or fecal samples. Here we use multi-locus (16S and CO1) next-generation sequencing of DNA barcodes on the feces of Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) chicks (n=65) and adults (n=64) and the stomach contents of their main prey, Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus, n=44) to investigate a previously studied food chain. We compared conventional and molecular-derived chick diet, tested the similarity between the diets of puffin adults and chicks, and determined whether herring prey can be detected in puffin diet samples. There was high variability in the coverage of prey groups between 16S and CO1 markers. We identified more unique prey with our 16S compared to CO1 barcoding markers (51 and 39 taxa respectively) with only 12 taxa identified by both genes. We found no significant difference between the 16S-identified diets of puffin adults (n=17) and chicks (n=41). Our molecular method is more taxonomically resolved and detected chick prey at higher frequencies than conventional field observations. Many likely planktonic prey of herring were detected in feces from puffin adults and chicks, highlighting the impact secondary consumption may have on the interpretation of molecular dietary analysis. This study represents the first simultaneous molecular investigation into the diet of multiple components of a food chain and highlights the utility of a multi-locus approach to diet reconstruction that is broadly applicable to food web analysis.     

Plankton response to physical forcing in the Gulf of California

Distinct increases in plankton productivity occur annually inthe Gulf of California and are related, at least in part, towind-driven changes in upper-ocean conditions. In particular,a rapid increase in plankton shell fluxes occurs in late fall(November), and is associated with a shift to northerly windsand cooling of surface temperatures that induce mixing of theupper ocean. The observed succession in the phytoplankton isattributed to this destabilization of surface waters and mayreflect the ability of different groups to rapond to varyingsurface water nutrient levels. The unraveling of such relationshipsbetween plankton production and hydrographic conditions is criticalto improving our ability to reconstruct quantitatively pastclimates.     

Movements and Habitat-Use of Loggerhead Sea Turtles in the Northern Gulf of Mexico during the Reproductive Period

Nesting strategies and use of important in-water habitats for far-ranging marine turtles can be determined using satellite telemetry. Because of a lack of information on habitat-use by marine turtles in the northern Gulf of Mexico, we used satellite transmitters in 2010 through 2012 to track movements of 39 adult female breeding loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) tagged on nesting beaches at three sites in Florida and Alabama. During the nesting season, recaptured turtles emerged to nest 1 to 5 times, with mean distance between emergences of 27.5 km; however, several turtles nested on beaches separated by ∼250 km within a single season. Mean total distances traveled throughout inter-nesting periods for all turtles was 1422.0±930.8 km. In-water inter-nesting sites, delineated using 50% kernel density estimation (KDE), were located a mean distance of 33.0 km from land, in water with mean depth of −31.6 m; other in-water inter-nesting sites, delineated using minimum convex polygon (MCP) approach, were located a mean 13.8 km from land and in water with a mean depth of −15.8 m. Mean size of in-water inter-nesting habitats were 61.9 km² (50% KDEs, n = 10) and 741.4 km² (MCPs, n = 30); these areas overlapped significantly with trawling and oil and gas extraction activities. Abundance estimates for this nesting subpopulation may be inaccurate in light of how much spread there is between nests of the same individual. Further, our results also have consequences for critical habitat designations for northern Gulf loggerheads, as protection of one nesting beach would not encompass the entire range used by turtles during breeding seasons.     

Microclimatic Changes Induced by Ecological Restoration of Ponderosa Pine Forests in Northern Arizona

Restoration of ponderosa pine ecosystems results in altered stand structure, potentially affecting microclimatic conditions and habitat quality for forest organisms. This research focuses on microclimatic changes resulting from forest and landscape structural alterations caused by restoration treatments in southwestern ponderosa pine forests. Three microclimate variables—light intensity, air temperature, and vapor pressure deficit (VPD)—were monitored over two field seasons. Differences in microclimate between the treated forest and the surrounding untreated forest were measured, and microclimatic gradients across the structural edge between these two forest types were quantified. Restoration treatments increased sunlight penetration to the forest floor but did not significantly impact ambient air temperature or VPD. Mean values for air temperature and VPD did not differ significantly between treatments, although temperature and vapor pressure deficit did exhibit a trend in the morning; both variables were higher at the structural edge and in the treated forest during morning hours. Significant edge gradients were detected for air temperature and VPD in the morning and evening, increasing from the structural edge into the untreated forest. Our results show that microclimatic effects of these restoration treatments are generally modest, but the changes are more prominent at specific locations and during certain times of day. Because even modest changes in microclimate have the potential to impact a range of key ecological processes, microclimatic effects should be considered when forest restoration treatments at the landscape scale are being planned and implemented.     

Genetic Diversity of Eukaryotic Plankton Assemblages in Eastern Tibetan Lakes Differing by their Salinity and Altitude

Eukaryotic plankton assemblages in 11 high-mountain lakes located at altitudes of 2,817 to 5,134 m and over a total area of ca. one million square kilometers on the Eastern Tibet Plateau, spanning a salinity gradient from 0.2 (freshwater) to 187.1 g l⁻¹ (hypersaline), were investigated by cultivation independent methods. Two 18S rRNA gene-based fingerprint approaches, i.e., the terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) with subsequent band sequencing were applied. Samples of the same lake type (e.g., freshwater) generally shared more of the same bands or T-RFs than samples of different types (e.g., freshwater versus saline). However, a certain number of bands or T-RFs among the samples within each lake were distinct, indicating the potential presence of significant genetic diversity within each lake. PCA indicated that the most significant environmental gradient among the investigated lakes was salinity. The observed molecular profiles could be further explained (17–24%) by ion percentage of chloride, carbonate and bicarbonate, and sulfate, which were also covaried with change of altitude and latitude. Sequence analysis of selected major DGGE bands revealed many sequences (largely protist) that are not related to any known cultures but to uncultured eukaryotic picoplankton and unidentified eukaryotes. One fourth of the retrieved sequences showed ≤97% similarity to the closest sequences in the GenBank. Sequences related to well-known heterotrophic nanoflagellates were not retrieved from the DGGE gels. Several groups of eukaryotic plankton, which were found worldwide and detected in low land lakes, were also detected in habitats located above 4,400 m, suggesting a cosmopolitan distribution of these phylotypes. Collectively, our study suggests that there was a high beta-diversity of eukaryotic plankton assemblages in the investigated Tibetan lakes shaped by multiple geographic and environmental factors.     

Population Changes of Soil Microbial Communities Induced by Hydrocarbon and Heavy Metal Contamination

Substrate utilization tests with Biolog® plates were used to obtain information on shifts in community composition and on changes in the metabolic diversity and activity of microorganisms in soil polluted with hydrocarbons. and/or heavy metals. Differences between the patterns of substrate utilization of endogenous microorganisms of pristine and contaminated soils were investigated by multivariate analysis. Population changes and shifts in metabolic diversity were observed both after hydrocarbon pollution or heavy metal contamination. The overall activity on the 95 Biolog® Gram-negative (GN) substrates correlated well with the respiration rate of the soil. Soils contaminated with hydrocarbons showed higher metabolic potentials than the corresponding controls. In contrast, heavy metal pollution caused both lower metabolic activity and a loss in diversity. The Biolog® assay was found to be suitable to describe changes in functional diversity of soils caused by hydrocarbon contamination or heavy metal stress.     

Spatial and bathymetric trends in Harpacticoida (Copepoda) community structure in the Northern Gulf of Mexico deep-sea

Harpacticoid copepod community structure was analyzed at 43 stations in the northern Gulf of Mexico deep-sea to test regional and bathymetric patterns of diversity in relation to environmental variables and topographic complexity of the continental slope. Depth, longitude, and proximity to the Florida Escarpment significantly affect average phylogenetic diversity, but basins and canyons do not. Multivariate analysis reveals a significant inverse relationship between diversity and POM flux, which is confirmed by significant region-scale depth and longitude differences. Although species richness declines linearly with increasing depth, the expected number of species (rarefraction) is maximized at approximately 1200 m, and average taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity continue to increase with depth, suggesting greater morphological or functional harpacticoid diversity with increasing depth. Most stations have unique species compositions, suggesting high regional (2200 species) and global (10⁵-10⁶ species) diversity by extrapolation. Therefore, processes maintaining harpacticoid diversity in the northern Gulf of Mexico deep-sea seem to rely on both small-scale dispersal and large-scale food supply mechanisms.     

Variability of Total and Pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus Densities in Northern Gulf of Mexico Water and Oysters

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is indigenous to coastal environments and a frequent cause of seafood-borne gastroenteritis in the United States, primarily due to raw-oyster consumption. Previous seasonal-cycle studies of V. parahaemolyticus have identified water temperature as the strongest environmental predictor. Salinity has also been identified, although it is evident that its effect on annual variation is not as pronounced. The effects of other environmental factors, both with respect to the seasonal cycle and intraseasonal variation, are uncertain. This study investigated intraseasonal variations of densities of total and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus organisms in oysters and overlying waters during the summer of 2004 at two sites in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Regression analyses indicated significant associations (P < 0.001) between total V. parahaemolyticus densities and salinity, as well as turbidity in water and in oysters at the Mississippi site but not at the Alabama site. Pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus organisms in Mississippi oyster and water samples were detected in 56% (9 out of 16) and 78% (43 out of 55) of samples, respectively. In contrast, 44% (7 out of 16) of oyster samples and 30% (14 out of 47) of water samples from Alabama were positive. At both sites, there was greater sample-to-sample variability in pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus densities than in total V. parahaemolyticus densities. These data suggest that, although total V. parahaemolyticus densities may be very informative, there is greater uncertainty when total V. parahaemolyticus densities are used to predict the risk of infection by pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus than previously recognized.     

Changes in northern Gulf of Mexico sediment bacterial and archaeal communities exposed to hypoxia

Biogeochemical changes in marine sediments during coastal water hypoxia are well described, but less is known about underlying changes in microbial communities. Bacterial and archaeal communities in Louisiana continental shelf (LCS) hypoxic zone sediments were characterized by pyrosequencing 16S rRNA V4‐region gene fragments obtained by PCR amplification of community genomic DNA with bacterial‐ or archaeal‐specific primers. Duplicate LCS sediment cores collected during hypoxia had higher concentrations of Fe(II), and dissolved inorganic carbon, phosphate, and ammonium than cores collected when overlying water oxygen concentrations were normal. Pyrosequencing yielded 158 686 bacterial and 225 591 archaeal sequences from 20 sediment samples, representing five 2‐cm depth intervals in the duplicate cores. Bacterial communities grouped by sampling date and sediment depth in a neighbor‐joining analysis using Chao–Jaccard shared species values. Redundancy analysis indicated that variance in bacterial communities was mainly associated with differences in sediment chemistry between oxic and hypoxic water column conditions. Gammaproteobacteria (26.5%) were most prominent among bacterial sequences, followed by Firmicutes (9.6%), and Alphaproteobacteria (5.6%). Crenarchaeotal, thaumarchaeotal, and euryarchaeotal lineages accounted for 57%, 27%, and 16% of archaeal sequences, respectively. In Thaumarchaeota Marine Group I, sequences were 96–99% identical to the Nitrosopumilus maritimus SCM1 sequence, were highest in surficial sediments, and accounted for 31% of archaeal sequences when waters were normoxic vs. 13% of archaeal sequences when waters were hypoxic. Redundancy analysis showed Nitrosopumilus‐related sequence abundance was correlated with high solid‐phase Fe(III) concentrations, whereas most of the remaining archaeal clusters were not. In contrast, crenarchaeotal sequences were from phylogenetically diverse lineages, differed little in relative abundance between sampling times, and increased to high relative abundance with sediment depth. These results provide further evidence that marine sediment microbial community composition can be structured according to sediment chemistry and suggest the expansion of hypoxia in coastal waters may alter sediment microbial communities involved in carbon and nitrogen cycling.