Fig. 1

Design of the experiment simulating jellyfish bloom decay, highlighting the key bacterial populations in the jelly-OM degradation process. A Experimental design and summary of the bacterial degradation experiment using jelly-OM, highlighting the microscopy-based abundance of major populations involved in the process. B Taxonomic origin of proteins detected within the endo- and exo-metaproteomes (ExoH—fraction between 30,000 Da and 0.2 µm, ExoL—fraction between 3000 Da and 30,000 Da) during different phases of bacterial growth (late exponential, decay) in jelly-OM or control treatments and coastal assemblage are depicted. Note: in y-axes 1 equals 100%. Dominant taxa are highlighted: Alteromonadaceae—red, Pseudoalteromonadaceae—green, Vibrionaceae—blue, Rhodobacteraceae—pink, DM-dry matter; DOM—dissolved organic matter; TOC—total dissolved carbon, DOC—dissolved organic carbon, TDN—total dissolved nitrogen; AA—amino acids; THDAA—total hydrolysable dissolved amino acids; DFAA—dissolved free amino acids; J—jelly-OM treatments, C—controls