Stochastic processes drive the diversity and composition of methanogenic community in a natural mangrove ecosystem.

Methanogens are considered to be crucial components of mangrove ecosystems with ecological significance. However, understanding the assembly processes of methanogenic communities in mangrove ecosystems is relatively insufficient. In the current study, a natural mangrove in a protection zone was employed to investigate the diversity and assembly processes of methanogenic community by using amplicon high-throughput sequencing, a null model as well as a neutral community model. The results showed that methanogenic community in mangrove sediments were highly diverse, with the predominance of methylotrophic Methanolobus, and hydrogenotrophic Methanogenium, Methanospirillum. The diversity, composition, and gene abundance varied obviously across the mangrove sampling sites, whereas the measured environmental variables exhibited a negligible effect. Null model showed that the values of beta nearest-taxon index were mostly between -2 and 2, indicating that stochastic processes contributed more than deterministic processes driving the methanogenic community assembly in mangrove sediments. Neutral community model revealed a high estimated migration rate of methanogenic community, further substantiating the significance of stochastic processes. Among the keystone species identified in network analysis, methanogens affiliated to hydrogenotrophic Methanospirillum may have a crucial role in maintaining the structure and function of methanogenic community. Notably, these keystone species were almost unaffected by measured environmental factors, indicating that the methanogenic community in mangrove sediments is more likely to be affected by stochastic processes. This study deepens the understanding of the diversity and assembly of methanogenic community in mangrove sediments, and provides clues to maintain mangrove ecosystem functioning.