Latitudinal Dynamics of Vibrio along the Eastern Coastline of Australia

The marine genus of bacteria, Vibrio, includes several significant human and animal pathogens, highlighting the importance of defining the factors that govern their occurrence in the environment. To determine what controls large-scale spatial patterns among this genus, we examined the abundance and diversity of Vibrio communities along a 4000 km latitudinal gradient spanning the Australian coast. We used a Vibrio-specific amplicon sequencing assay to define Vibrio community diversity, as well as quantitative PCR and digital droplet PCR to identify patterns in the abundances of the human pathogens V. cholera, V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus. The hsp60 amplicon sequencing analysis revealed significant differences in the composition of tropical and temperate Vibrio communities. Over 50% of Vibrio species detected, including the human pathogens V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus, displayed significant correlations with either temperature, salinity, or both, as well as different species of phytoplankton. High levels of V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus were detected in the tropical site at Darwin and the subtropical Gold Coast site, along with high levels of V. parahaemolyticus at the subtropical Sydney site. This study has revealed the key ecological determinants and latitudinal patterns in the abundance and diversity of coastal Vibrio communities, including insights into the distribution of human pathogens, within a region experiencing significant ecological shifts due to climate change.

Automated summary

This study investigates the abundance and diversity of Vibrio communities along the Australian coast and finds significant differences in composition between tropical and temperate regions. It also identifies correlations between these communities and temperature, salinity, and phytoplankton. Furthermore, the study reveals high levels of certain human pathogens, such as V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus, at specific sites. These findings provide important insights into the ecological determinants and latitudinal patterns of Vibrio communities, as well as the distribution of human pathogens.