Spatiotemporal dynamics of the bacterial community in the German Bight

Microbes comprise the most abundant and diverse group of organisms on earth, contribute substantially to every conceivable biogeochemical cycle and thus, are fundamental to ecosystem functioning. Research on marine microbial communities has proven the existence of biogeographic patterns, but the mechanisms that shape the microbial assemblages are still not understood properly, as most of the studies revealed different driving forces for different temporal and spatial scales and individual habitats. However, to predict and estimate potential ecological impacts that arise from microbial community variation, it is of utmost importance to unveil the mechanisms that are generating and maintaining community assembly. This thesis aimed at providing detailed insight into the spatiotemporal variation of bacterioplankton communities in the German Bight, to deconvolute spatial and temporal signals and to identify the main regulating forces driving these dynamics.