Temporal changes in Sphingomonas and Mycobacterium populations in mangrove sediments contaminated with different concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)

► The structure of total bacterial community and Sphingomonas showed no evident shifts after PAHs contamination. ► The diversity of Mycobacterium populations increased with higher PAH contamination from Day 0 to Day 30. ► Mycobacterium species were the dominant PAH-degraders.