IIT Madras study finds rare marine bacteria essential for ocean stability

Researchers from the Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI (WSAI) at IIT Madras have identified that rare marine bacteria play a critical role in maintaining the stability of ocean ecosystems. Despite their low abundance compared to common species, these ‘specialist’ bacteria act as essential connectors within microbial interaction networks.

By analyzing microbial sequencing data from over 4,600 ocean samples across tropical, temperate, and polar regions, the study found that removing these rare organisms would substantially weaken network stability. These microorganisms are fundamental to regulating nutrient cycling, sustaining marine food webs, and influencing the Earth’s climate.

The research, published in the journal mSystems, also noted differences in how microbial communities are shaped by geography. Polar communities exhibited more modular interaction networks, while tropical and temperate communities were influenced by a combination of environmental selection and stochastic processes.