A Long-Standing Complex Tropical Dipole Shapes Marine Microbial Biogeography

Oceanic dipoles, which consist of a cyclonic eddy and an anticyclonic eddy together, are among the most contrasted phenomena in the ocean. Dipoles generate strong vertical mixing and horizontal advection, inducing biological responses. This study provides vertical profiles of microbial abundance, diversity, and community structure in a mesoscale dipole. We identify the links between the physical oceanography and microbial oceanography and demonstrate that the dipole, with its unique features, could act as a driver for microbial community dynamics, which may have large impacts on both the local and global marine biogeochemical cycles.