Microbial metabolism changes molecular compositions of riverine dissolved organic matter as regulated by temperature

This study investigated the control of dissolved organic matter (DOM) molecular compositions by microbial community shifts under temperature regulation (range from 5 to 35 °C), using riverine DOM and in situ microorganisms as examples. The functioning of different microbial metabolisms, including the utilization and generation processes, was comprehensively analyzed. Though the overall quantity of DOM was less temperature-affected, more molecules were identified at moderate temperatures (e.g., 15 and 25 °C) and their accumulated mass peak intensities increased with the temperature. The results were ascribed to 1) the microbial production of macromolecular (m/z > 600) CHO, CHON, and CHONS species was stimulated at higher temperatures; 2) the microorganisms consumed more DOM molecules at both higher and lower temperatures; and 3) the simultaneously decreased utilization and increased generation of recalcitrant CHO and CHON molecules with m/z < 600 at higher temperatures. The strong correlations among the temperature, community structures, and DOM chemodiversity suggested that temperature promoted the community evenness to increase the DOM generation. In addition, the higher temperature decreased the abundance of microorganisms that utilized more recalcitrant molecules and produced fewer new molecules (e.g., Proteobacteria, Acinetobacter , and Erythrobacter ) while increased others that functioned the opposite (e.g., Verrucomicrobia, Bacteroidetes, and Flavobacterium ) to increase the DOM production. The constructed temperature-community-DOM chemistry relationship deepened the molecular-level understanding of DOM variations and provided implications for the warming future. • Temperature regulation on microbial metabolisms of DOM molecules was studied. • The elevated temperature (5–35 °C) facilitated generation of CHON and CHO species. • The higher and lower temperatures (5 and 35 °C) enhanced DOM molecules utilization. • The interconnections of temperature, community, and DOM molecules were elucidated. • Temperature promoted the community evenness to increase metabolic DOM generation.