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Pérez Castro S, Peredo EL, Mason OU, Vineis J, Bowen JL, Mortazavi B, Ganesh A, Ruff SE, Paul BG, Giblin AE, Cardon ZG. Diversity at single nucleotide to pangenome scales among sulfur cycling bacteria in salt marshes. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0098823. [PMID: 37882526 PMCID: PMC10686091 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00988-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Salt marshes are known for their significant carbon storage capacity, and sulfur cycling is closely linked with the ecosystem-scale carbon cycling in these ecosystems. Sulfate reducers are key for the decomposition of organic matter, and sulfur oxidizers remove toxic sulfide, supporting the productivity of marsh plants. To date, the complexity of coastal environments, heterogeneity of the rhizosphere, high microbial diversity, and uncultured majority hindered our understanding of the genomic diversity of sulfur-cycling microbes in salt marshes. Here, we use comparative genomics to overcome these challenges and provide an in-depth characterization of sulfur-cycling microbial diversity in salt marshes. We characterize communities across distinct sites and plant species and uncover extensive genomic diversity at the taxon level and specific genomic features present in MAGs affiliated with uncultivated sulfur-cycling lineages. Our work provides insights into the partnerships in salt marshes and a roadmap for multiscale analyses of diversity in complex biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherlynette Pérez Castro
- The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
- Crop and Soil Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, USA
| | - Elena L. Peredo
- The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
- Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Olivia U. Mason
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Joseph Vineis
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, Nahant, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jennifer L. Bowen
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, Nahant, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Behzad Mortazavi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
| | - Anakha Ganesh
- Bay Paul Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
| | - S. Emil Ruff
- The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
- Bay Paul Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Blair G. Paul
- Bay Paul Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anne E. Giblin
- The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Zoe G. Cardon
- The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
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Nobarinezhad MH, Wallace LE. Fine-scale genetic structure in rhizosphere microbial communities associated with Chamaecrista fasciculata (Fabaceae). Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10570. [PMID: 37753306 PMCID: PMC10518841 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Soil microbiota of the rhizosphere are an important extension of the plant phenotype because they impact the health and fitness of host plants. The composition of these communities is expected to differ among host plants due to influence by host genotype. Given that many plant populations exhibit fine-scale genetic structure (SGS), associated microbial communities may also exhibit SGS. In this study, we tested this hypothesis using Chamaecrista fasciculata, a legume species that has previously been determined to have significant SGS. We collected genetic data from prokaryotic and fungal rhizosphere communities in association with 70 plants in an area of ~400 square meters to investigate the presence of SGS in microbial communities. Bacteria of Acidobacteria, Protobacteria, and Bacteroidetes and fungi of Basidiomycota, Ascomycota, and Mortierellomycota were dominant members of the rhizosphere. Although microbial alpha diversity did not differ significantly among plants hosts, we detected significant compositional differences among the microbial communities as well as isolation by distance. The strongest factor associated with microbial distance was genetic distance of the other microbial community, followed by geographic distance, but there was not a significant association with plant genetic distance for either microbial community. This study further demonstrates the strong potential for spatial structuring of soil microbial communities at the smallest spatial scales and provides further insight into the complexity of factors that influence microbial composition in soils and in association with host plants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lisa E. Wallace
- Department of Biological SciencesOld Dominion UniversityNorfolkVirginiaUSA
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Rolando JL, Kolton M, Song T, Kostka JE. The core root microbiome of Spartina alterniflora is predominated by sulfur-oxidizing and sulfate-reducing bacteria in Georgia salt marshes, USA. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:37. [PMID: 35227326 PMCID: PMC8886783 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-021-01187-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Salt marshes are dominated by the smooth cordgrass Spartina alterniflora on the US Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastlines. Although soil microorganisms are well known to mediate important biogeochemical cycles in salt marshes, little is known about the role of root microbiomes in supporting the health and productivity of marsh plant hosts. Leveraging in situ gradients in aboveground plant biomass as a natural laboratory, we investigated the relationships between S. alterniflora primary productivity, sediment redox potential, and the physiological ecology of bulk sediment, rhizosphere, and root microbial communities at two Georgia barrier islands over two growing seasons. RESULTS A marked decrease in prokaryotic alpha diversity with high abundance and increased phylogenetic dispersion was found in the S. alterniflora root microbiome. Significantly higher rates of enzymatic organic matter decomposition, as well as the relative abundances of putative sulfur (S)-oxidizing, sulfate-reducing, and nitrifying prokaryotes correlated with plant productivity. Moreover, these functional guilds were overrepresented in the S. alterniflora rhizosphere and root core microbiomes. Core microbiome bacteria from the Candidatus Thiodiazotropha genus, with the metabolic potential to couple S oxidation with C and N fixation, were shown to be highly abundant in the root and rhizosphere of S. alterniflora. CONCLUSIONS The S. alterniflora root microbiome is dominated by highly active and competitive species taking advantage of available carbon substrates in the oxidized root zone. Two microbially mediated mechanisms are proposed to stimulate S. alterniflora primary productivity: (i) enhanced microbial activity replenishes nutrients and terminal electron acceptors in higher biomass stands, and (ii) coupling of chemolithotrophic S oxidation with carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) fixation by root- and rhizosphere-associated prokaryotes detoxifies sulfide in the root zone while potentially transferring fixed C and N to the host plant. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose L Rolando
- Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Biological Sciences, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Max Kolton
- Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Biological Sciences, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, Ben-Gurion, University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Tianze Song
- Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Biological Sciences, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Joel E Kostka
- Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Biological Sciences, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
- Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
- Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
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4
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Walker JB, Bijak AL, Blum L. Genetic Diversity and Clonal Structure of Spartina alterniflora in a Virginia Marsh. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2021. [DOI: 10.1656/045.028.0309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Janet B. Walker
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904
| | - Alexandra L. Bijak
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904
| | - Linda Blum
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904
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5
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Fazal A, Yang M, Wen Z, Ali F, Ren R, Hao C, Chen X, Fu J, Wang X, Jie W, Yin T, Lu G, Qi J, Yang Y. Differential microbial assemblages associated with shikonin-producing Borage species in two distinct soil types. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10788. [PMID: 34031500 PMCID: PMC8144371 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90251-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Shikonin and its derivatives are the main components of traditional Chinese medicine, Zicao. The pharmacological potential of shikonin and its derivatives have been extensively studied. Yet, less is known about the microbial assemblages associated with shikonin producing Borage plants. We studied microbial profiles of two Borage species, Echium plantagineum (EP) and Lithospermum erythrorhizon (LE), to identify the dynamics of microbial colonization pattern within three rhizo-compatments and two distinct soil types. Results of α and β-diversity via PacBio sequencing revealed significantly higher microbial richness and diversity in the natural soil along with a decreasing microbial gradient across rhizosphere to endosphere. Our results displayed genotype and soil type-dependent fine-tuning of microbial profiles. The host plant was found to exert effects on the physical and chemical properties of soil, resulting in reproducibly different micro-biota. Analysis of differentially abundant microbial OTUs displayed Planctomycetes and Bacteroidetes to be specifically enriched in EP and LE rhizosphere while endosphere was mostly prevailed by Cyanobacteria. Network analysis to unfold co-existing microbial species displayed different types of positive and negative interactions within different communities. The data provided here will help to identify microbes associated with different rhizo-compartments of potential host plants. In the future, this might be helpful for manipulating the keystone microbes for ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliya Fazal
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Minkai Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhongling Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Farman Ali
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Ran Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenyu Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Xingyu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiangyan Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Wencai Jie
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Tongming Yin
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, People's Republic of China
| | - Guihua Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China.
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, People's Republic of China.
- School of Life Sciences, Huaiyin Normal University, No.111 Changjiang West Road, Huaian, 223300, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jinliang Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China.
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yonghua Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute for Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China.
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, People's Republic of China.
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6
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Gao GF, Peng D, Wu D, Zhang Y, Chu H. Increasing Inundation Frequencies Enhance the Stochastic Process and Network Complexity of the Soil Archaeal Community in Coastal Wetlands. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:e02560-20. [PMID: 33741614 PMCID: PMC8208137 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02560-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Coastal wetlands are experiencing frequent flooding because of global climate changes, such as the rising sea level. Despite the key role of archaea in soil biogeochemical cycles, the assembly processes and co-occurrence patterns of archaeal communities in coastal wetlands in response to increasing inundation frequencies remain elusive. In this study, we established an in situ mesocosm with an inundation frequency gradient to investigate the response of soil archaeal community toward increasing inundation frequencies in monocultures of Spartina alterniflora and a mangrove species, Kandelia obovata Both neutral community model and null model analyses suggested that stochastic processes are dominant in governing the archaeal community assembly and that the stochastic processes are enhanced with increasing inundation frequencies. Increasing inundation frequencies significantly increased the community niche width. Moreover, archaeal community in S. alterniflora soil displayed lower niche overlap and higher stochasticity than in K. obovata soil. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed that the network complexity increases with increase in the inundation frequencies. Soil water content is the most decisive factor influencing the archaeal communities. Overall, we found that increasing inundation frequencies enhance the stochastic processes and network complexity of the soil archaeal community in coastal wetlands. This study could enhance our understanding on the response of soil archaeal communities in coastal wetlands toward global change.IMPORTANCE Coastal wetlands, subjected to regular disturbances by periodic tides, are highly productive and important in the regulation of climate change. However, the assembly mechanisms and co-occurrence patterns of soil archaeal communities in coastal areas remain poorly known, especially for their responses to increasing inundation frequencies. In this study, we aimed at unraveling these uncertainties by studying typical estuarine ecosystems in southern China. We show that increasing inundation frequencies enhance the stochastic processes and network complexity of the soil archaeal community. This study offers a new path for an improved understanding of archaeal community assembly and species coexistence in coastal environments, with a special focus on the role of inundation frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gui-Feng Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Dan Peng
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Di Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yihui Zhang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Haiyan Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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7
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Gao GF, Peng D, Zhang Y, Li Y, Fan K, Tripathi BM, Adams JM, Chu H. Dramatic change of bacterial assembly process and co-occurrence pattern in Spartina alterniflora salt marsh along an inundation frequency gradient. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 755:142546. [PMID: 33035970 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Exotic Spartina alterniflora has become widely distributed along most of the coastlines in China in a wide range of inundation frequencies. However, the assembly processes and co-occurrence patterns of the bacterial community in S. alterniflora wetlands under different inundation frequencies remain elusive. In this study, an in-situ mesocosm was established to investigate the changes in soil bacterial community. We found that soil water content was the most decisive factor in influencing the bacterial community. Balanced variation, rather than abundance gradients, accounted for the major shifts in bacterial communities and was significantly and positively correlated with the changes in water content, suggesting that species substitution was facilitated by the increased water content. Deterministic processes were dominant in community assembly, and a large degree of change in water content increased variable selection. Co-occurrence network revealed that increasing water content significantly decreased the average degree and the relative abundance of keystone species, resulting in a network with less complexity. Structural equation modelling suggests that increasing inundation frequency has strong impacts on bacterial community, primarily by altering water content, network degree, and the relative abundance of keystone species. Overall, our results illustrate that increasing inundation frequency significantly influences the bacterial community assembly processes and co-occurrence patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gui-Feng Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 71 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Dan Peng
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Yihui Zhang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Yuntao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 71 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Kunkun Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 71 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Binu M Tripathi
- Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea
| | - Jonathan M Adams
- School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Road, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Haiyan Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 71 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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8
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Craig H, Kennedy JP, Devlin DJ, Bardgett RD, Rowntree JK. Effects of maternal genotypic identity and genetic diversity of the red mangrove Rhizophora mangle on associated soil bacterial communities: A field-based experiment. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:13957-13967. [PMID: 33391694 PMCID: PMC7771162 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Loss of plant biodiversity can result in reduced abundance and diversity of associated species with implications for ecosystem functioning. In ecosystems low in plant species diversity, such as Neotropical mangrove forests, it is thought that genetic diversity within the dominant plant species could play an important role in shaping associated communities. Here, we used a manipulative field experiment to study the effects of maternal genotypic identity and genetic diversity of the red mangrove Rhizophora mangle on the composition and richness of associated soil bacterial communities. Using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) community fingerprinting, we found that bacterial community composition differed among R. mangle maternal genotypes but not with genetic diversity. Bacterial taxa richness, total soil nitrogen, and total soil carbon were not significantly affected by maternal genotypic identity or genetic diversity of R. mangle. Our findings show that genotype selection in reforestation projects could influence soil bacterial community composition. Further research is needed to determine what impact these bacterial community differences might have on ecosystem processes, such as carbon and nitrogen cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley Craig
- Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - John Paul Kennedy
- Department of Natural Sciences, Ecology and Environment Research CentreManchester Metropolitan UniversityManchesterUK
- Smithsonian Marine StationFort PierceFLUSA
| | - Donna J. Devlin
- Department of Life SciencesTexas A&M University Corpus ChristiCorpus ChristiTXUSA
| | - Richard D. Bardgett
- Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Jennifer K. Rowntree
- Department of Natural Sciences, Ecology and Environment Research CentreManchester Metropolitan UniversityManchesterUK
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9
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Kolton M, Rolando JL, Kostka JE. Elucidation of the rhizosphere microbiome linked to Spartina alterniflora phenotype in a salt marsh on Skidaway Island, Georgia, USA. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2020; 96:5813622. [PMID: 32227167 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Smooth cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora, dominates salt marshes on the east coast of the United States. While the physicochemical cues affecting S. alterniflora productivity have been studied intensively, the role of plant-microbe interactions in ecosystem functioning remains poorly understood. Thus, in this study, the effects of S. alterniflora phenotype on the composition of archaeal, bacterial, diazotrophic and fungal communities were investigated. Overall, prokaryotic communities were more diverse and bacteria were more abundant in the areas colonized by the tall plant phenotype in comparison to those of short plant phenotype. Diazotrophic methanogens (Methanomicrobia) preferentially colonized the area of the short plant phenotype. Putative iron-oxidizing Zetaproteobacteria and sulfur-oxidizing Campylobacteria were identified as indicator species in the rhizosphere of tall and short plant phenotypes, respectively. Finally, while diazotrophic populations shaped microbial interactions in the areas colonized by the tall plant phenotype, fungal populations filled this role in the areas occupied by the short plant phenotype. The results here demonstrate that S. alterniflora phenotype and proximity to the root zone are selective forces dictating microbial community assembly. Results further reveal that reduction-oxidation chemistry is a major factor driving the selection of belowground microbial populations in salt marsh habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Kolton
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - José L Rolando
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Joel E Kostka
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.,School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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10
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Hernández EG, Baraza E, Smit C, Berg MP, Falcão Salles J. Salt Marsh Elevation Drives Root Microbial Composition of the Native Invasive Grass Elytrigia atherica. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8101619. [PMID: 33096699 PMCID: PMC7589393 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8101619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Elytrigia atherica is a native invasive plant species whose expansion on salt marshes is attributed to genotypic and phenotypic adaptations to non-ideal environmental conditions, forming two ecotypes. It is unknown how E. atherica–microbiome interactions are contributing to its adaptation. Here we investigated the effect of sea-water flooding frequency and associated soil (a)biotic conditions on plant traits and root-associated microbial community composition and potential functions of two E. atherica ecotypes. We observed higher endomycorrhizal colonization in high-elevation ecotypes (HE, low inundation frequency), whereas low-elevation ecotypes (LE, high inundation frequency) had higher specific leaf area. Similarly, rhizosphere and endosphere bacterial communities grouped according to ecotypes. Soil ammonium content and elevation explained rhizosphere bacterial composition. Around 60% the endosphere amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were also found in soil and around 30% of the ASVs were ecotype-specific. The endosphere of HE-ecotype harbored more unique sequences than the LE-ecotype, the latter being abundant in halophylic bacterial species. The composition of the endosphere may explain salinity and drought tolerance in relation to the local environmental needs of each ecotype. Overall, these results suggest that E. atherica is flexible in its association with soil bacteria and ecotype-specific dissimilar, which may enhance its competitive strength in salt marshes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edisa García Hernández
- Microbial Community Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
- Correspondence: (E.G.H.); (J.F.S.); Tel.: +31-50-3632236 (E.G.H.); +31-50-36-32162 (J.F.S.)
| | - Elena Baraza
- Departamento de Biologia, Universitat de les Illes Balears-INAGEA, 07122 Mallorca, Spain;
| | - Christian Smit
- Community and Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands; (C.S.); (M.P.B.)
| | - Matty P. Berg
- Community and Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands; (C.S.); (M.P.B.)
- Department of Ecological Science, Section Animal Ecology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joana Falcão Salles
- Microbial Community Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
- Correspondence: (E.G.H.); (J.F.S.); Tel.: +31-50-3632236 (E.G.H.); +31-50-36-32162 (J.F.S.)
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11
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Lumibao CY, Bernik BM, Formel SK, Kandalepas D, Mighell KL, Pardue J, Van Bael SA, Blum MJ. Rhizosphere microbial communities reflect genotypic and trait variation in a salt marsh ecosystem engineer. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2020; 107:941-949. [PMID: 32533589 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE There is growing recognition that intraspecific genetic variation in plants can influence associated soil microbial communities, but the functional bridges linking plant genotype with microbial community structure are not well understood. This deficit is due in part to a prevailing focus on characterizing relationships between microbial communities and functional trait variation among plant species or across plant communities, rather than within a single species. METHODS We examined whether and how spatiotemporal variation in salt marsh rhizosphere microbial communities reflect plant provenance (genotypic variation) and associated trait variation within an ecosystem engineer, Spartina alterniflora. We planted S. alterniflora from four genetically distinct source populations in replicate sets of experimental plots across a shoreline in southeastern Louisiana, USA. After 2 years, we measured functional plant traits and profiled microbial communities. RESULTS Bacterial and fungal α-diversity and richness were significantly higher in winter than in summer and corresponded to plant trait variation associated with provenance. Notably, 20% of the variation in fungal community composition was explained by trait differences while bacterial community structure did not reflect plant provenance or trait variation. However, evidence was found suggesting that bacterial communities are indirectly shaped by the influence of plant provenance on soil physicochemical properties. CONCLUSIONS This study illustrates that intraspecific genetic and corresponding trait variation in an ecosystem engineer can shape rhizosphere microbial communities, with fungal communities being more responsive than bacteria to the influence of plant provenance and associated trait variation. Our results highlight the potential relevance of plant intraspecific variation in plant-microbe-soil feedbacks shaping naturally depauperate ecosystems like salt marshes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candice Y Lumibao
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Brittany M Bernik
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
- Tulane University, The ByWater Institute, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Stephen K Formel
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Demetra Kandalepas
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
- Tulane University, The ByWater Institute, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Kimberly L Mighell
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - John Pardue
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Sunshine A Van Bael
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Michael J Blum
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
- Tulane University, The ByWater Institute, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
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