Spatial and Vertical Pelagic Microbiome off the Santos Basin, South Atlantic Ocean.

The coastal-to-open ocean vertical microbiome was investigated using water samples from the Santos Basin, Southwest Atlantic Ocean. Using a spatial and vertical metagenomics approach, we assessed the diversity and distribution of pelagic microbes, identified major bacterial and archaeal taxa, and inferred their ecosystem functions. A total of 67 water samples were collected during the SANAGU 2019 expedition, corresponding to 28 different sampling stations distributed across the Santos Basin. Six discrete sampling depths: 1 meter (M1), deep chlorophyll maximum layer (DCM), 250 meters (M250), 900 meters (M900), and 2300 meters (M2300) were chosen within the water masses (TW - Tropical Water, CW - Coastal Water, SACW - South Atlantic Central Water, AIW - Antarctic Intermediate Water, and CSW - Circumpolar Superior Water at each oceanographic station.