Researchers aboard the R/V Ocean Researcher I discovered significant changes in bacterioplankton communities in the southern East China Sea after Typhoon Maria struck in 2018. This typhoon provided a unique opportunity to study the rapid effects of such storms on ocean biogeochemistry.
Typhoon Maria's Unique Sampling Opportunity
During a research cruise in 2018, the team encountered Category 5 Typhoon Maria, allowing them to collect bacterioplankton samples both before and after the storm for the first time. They gathered environmental data and samples over a period of 7 days, with 3 days of sampling before the typhoon and 4 days afterward.
The research focused on how the typhoon stirred the ocean's stratified waters, leading to the redistribution of nutrients and organisms, as well as changes in seawater temperature and salinity. Previous studies had indicated that such mixing could alter the makeup and activity of bacterioplankton communities and boost primary productivity.
Changes in Bacterioplankton Communities
The findings revealed that after the storm, nutrient concentrations, primary production, and bacterial activity all increased. Surprisingly, the overall diversity of bacterioplankton remained unchanged, but the composition across various layers of the water column became more homogeneous. Notably, copiotrophic taxa, which thrive in nutrient-rich conditions, increased, while oligotrophic taxa, which prefer low-nutrient environments, diminished.
- Nutrient concentrations: Increased after the storm.
- Primary production: Elevated levels recorded.
- Bacterial activity: Showed a significant rise post-typhoon.
- Community structure: Became more homogeneous across depths.
Future Research Directions
These observations provide new insights into how typhoons influence biogeochemical cycling in the ocean. Scientists emphasize the importance of further research into microbial gene expression through metatranscriptomics to better understand metabolic activity and functional responses. Additionally, extending the sampling period could shed light on how long it takes for bacterioplankton communities to return to their pre-typhoon state.
“As storms increase, this could affect whether the ocean acts as a local carbon source or sink,” noted the researchers.
Publication details: Yi‐Hsuan Lo et al, Typhoon‐Induced Vertical Mixing Rapidly Reshapes Bacterioplankton Communities Across Ocean Depths, Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans (2026). DOI: 10.1029/2025jc023738.
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