Unravelling the microbiome of wild flowering plants: a comparative study of leaves and flowers in alpine ecosystems
Abstract Background While substantial research has explored rhizosphere and phyllosphere microbiomes, knowledge on flower microbiome, particularly in wild plants remains limited. This study explores into the diversity, abundance, and composition of bacterial and fungal communities on leaves and flow...
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BMC
2024-10-01
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| Series: | BMC Microbiology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-024-03574-0 |
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| author | Dinesh Kumar Ramakrishnan Franziska Jauernegger Daniel Hoefle Christian Berg Gabriele Berg Ahmed Abdelfattah |
| author_facet | Dinesh Kumar Ramakrishnan Franziska Jauernegger Daniel Hoefle Christian Berg Gabriele Berg Ahmed Abdelfattah |
| author_sort | Dinesh Kumar Ramakrishnan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background While substantial research has explored rhizosphere and phyllosphere microbiomes, knowledge on flower microbiome, particularly in wild plants remains limited. This study explores into the diversity, abundance, and composition of bacterial and fungal communities on leaves and flowers of wild flowering plants in their natural alpine habitat, considering the influence of environmental factors. Methods We investigated 50 wild flowering plants representing 22 families across seven locations in Austria. Sampling sites encompassed varied soil types (carbonate/silicate) and altitudes (450–2760 m). Amplicon sequencing to characterize bacterial and fungal communities and quantitative PCR to assess microbial abundance was applied, and the influence of biotic and abiotic factors assessed. Results Our study revealed distinct bacterial and fungal communities on leaves and flowers, with higher diversity and richness on leaves (228 fungal and 91 bacterial ASVs) than on flowers (163 fungal and 55 bacterial ASVs). In addition, Gammaproteobacteria on flowers and Alphaproteobacteria on leaves suggests niche specialization for plant compartments. Location significantly shaped both community composition and fungal diversity on both plant parts. Notably, soil type influenced community composition but not diversity. Altitude was associated with increased fungal species diversity on leaves and flowers. Furthermore, significant effects of plant family identity emerged within a subset of seven families, impacting bacterial and fungal abundance, fungal Shannon diversity, and bacterial species richness, particularly on flowers. Conclusion This study provides novel insights into the specific microbiome of wild flowering plants, highlighting adaptations to local environments and plant–microbe coevolution. The observed specificity indicates a potential role in plant health and resilience, which is crucial for predicting how microbiomes respond to changing environments, ultimately aiding in the conservation of natural ecosystems facing climate change pressures. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a9ddfcbfac2f405189b83c31ebf70398 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1471-2180 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-a9ddfcbfac2f405189b83c31ebf703982025-08-20T02:17:36ZengBMCBMC Microbiology1471-21802024-10-0124111710.1186/s12866-024-03574-0Unravelling the microbiome of wild flowering plants: a comparative study of leaves and flowers in alpine ecosystemsDinesh Kumar Ramakrishnan0Franziska Jauernegger1Daniel Hoefle2Christian Berg3Gabriele Berg4Ahmed Abdelfattah5Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB)Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of TechnologyLeibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB)Institute of Biology, Department of Plant Sciences, NAWI Graz, University of GrazLeibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB)Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB)Abstract Background While substantial research has explored rhizosphere and phyllosphere microbiomes, knowledge on flower microbiome, particularly in wild plants remains limited. This study explores into the diversity, abundance, and composition of bacterial and fungal communities on leaves and flowers of wild flowering plants in their natural alpine habitat, considering the influence of environmental factors. Methods We investigated 50 wild flowering plants representing 22 families across seven locations in Austria. Sampling sites encompassed varied soil types (carbonate/silicate) and altitudes (450–2760 m). Amplicon sequencing to characterize bacterial and fungal communities and quantitative PCR to assess microbial abundance was applied, and the influence of biotic and abiotic factors assessed. Results Our study revealed distinct bacterial and fungal communities on leaves and flowers, with higher diversity and richness on leaves (228 fungal and 91 bacterial ASVs) than on flowers (163 fungal and 55 bacterial ASVs). In addition, Gammaproteobacteria on flowers and Alphaproteobacteria on leaves suggests niche specialization for plant compartments. Location significantly shaped both community composition and fungal diversity on both plant parts. Notably, soil type influenced community composition but not diversity. Altitude was associated with increased fungal species diversity on leaves and flowers. Furthermore, significant effects of plant family identity emerged within a subset of seven families, impacting bacterial and fungal abundance, fungal Shannon diversity, and bacterial species richness, particularly on flowers. Conclusion This study provides novel insights into the specific microbiome of wild flowering plants, highlighting adaptations to local environments and plant–microbe coevolution. The observed specificity indicates a potential role in plant health and resilience, which is crucial for predicting how microbiomes respond to changing environments, ultimately aiding in the conservation of natural ecosystems facing climate change pressures.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-024-03574-0Core microbiomeCo-evolutionPhyllosphereAltitude microbiomePhylosymbiosisPristine microbiome |
| spellingShingle | Dinesh Kumar Ramakrishnan Franziska Jauernegger Daniel Hoefle Christian Berg Gabriele Berg Ahmed Abdelfattah Unravelling the microbiome of wild flowering plants: a comparative study of leaves and flowers in alpine ecosystems BMC Microbiology Core microbiome Co-evolution Phyllosphere Altitude microbiome Phylosymbiosis Pristine microbiome |
| title | Unravelling the microbiome of wild flowering plants: a comparative study of leaves and flowers in alpine ecosystems |
| title_full | Unravelling the microbiome of wild flowering plants: a comparative study of leaves and flowers in alpine ecosystems |
| title_fullStr | Unravelling the microbiome of wild flowering plants: a comparative study of leaves and flowers in alpine ecosystems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unravelling the microbiome of wild flowering plants: a comparative study of leaves and flowers in alpine ecosystems |
| title_short | Unravelling the microbiome of wild flowering plants: a comparative study of leaves and flowers in alpine ecosystems |
| title_sort | unravelling the microbiome of wild flowering plants a comparative study of leaves and flowers in alpine ecosystems |
| topic | Core microbiome Co-evolution Phyllosphere Altitude microbiome Phylosymbiosis Pristine microbiome |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-024-03574-0 |
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