Experimental metagenomics is used to show that coastal communities are populated by taxa capable of metabolizing a wide variety of organic carbon compounds. It is concluded that metabolic generalists dominate coastal microbial communities, with important implications for identifying taxon–function relationships for carbon cycle-relevant processes and the construction of predictive models of ocean biogeochemistry.
- Xiaozhen Mou
- Shulei Sun
- Mary Ann Moran
