Unraveling the interaction of dissolved organic matter and microorganisms with internal phosphorus cycling in the floodplain lake ecosystem.

Internal nutrient cycling, especially phosphorus (P), is of great influence in lake eutrophication. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) and microorganisms are ubiquitous in the sediments and closely associated with P-cycling. However, the underlying interactions of DOM, microorganisms and P in floodplain lake area with different hydrological characteristics remain scarce. This study evaluated the P and DOM properties, P functional genes and microbial community ranging from channel to stagnant to grass area (CA, SA, GA) in a floodplain lake, respectively. The results showed that sediments dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total P (TP) gradually decreased from GA to SA to CA. Organic P (64.44%) and Fe-bound P (34.86%) were primary bioavailable P fractions in three areas. Water Chl-a, DO, DOC and fulvic-like C1 component were essential driving factors affecting the distribution of P in sediments (p < 0.05). Microbial diversity, community structure and P-cycling function were significantly different in three areas and closely associated with sediment P and DOM (p < 0.05). The co-occurrence network analysis revealed that the interconnection of microbial communities, DOM components and P fractions decreased from CA (node: 123, edge: 1399) to SA (node: 122, edge: 667) to GA (node: 119, edge: 521). Sediment microbial communities enhanced P cycling via mineralizing organic P and dissolving inorganic P (Ca-P) in CA and coupling DOM mineralization and Fe-P dissolution in SA, while sediment in GA owned the significant potential of P and DOM storage and the abundant P-cycling genes. This finding provides further understanding that underlying mechanisms of internal P-cycling in floodplain lake ecosystem.