Abstract Detail

Symbioses: Plant, Animal, and Microbe Interactions

Scherer, Brendan [1], Mast, Austin [2], Mason, Olivia [3].

Bacterial communities vary across populations and tissue type in Red Mangroves (Rhizophora mangle L., Rhizophoraceae) along an expanding front.

Plant-associated microbial communities remain underexplored, though plant-associated bacteria may be important sources of functional diversity and genetic variation that influence host evolution. Bacteria have been shown to provide numerous benefits for their hosts, yet in most plant systems we know very little about their taxonomic composition or how they vary across tissues and host range. Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) is a vital coastal plant species in the tropics and subtropics of the Atlantic and American Pacific that is currently expanding poleward and with it, perhaps, its microbiome. We explore variability in associated bacterial communities across tissues, individuals, and populations. We collected samples from bulk soil, the rhizosphere, and 4 tissue types from 5-10 individuals at each of 3 populations and used 16s rRNA sequencing to describe their bacterial communities. Core community members and dominant bacterial classes were calculated for each sample type. Community beta diversity was explored using pairwise PERMANOVA of Bray-Curtis dissimilarity. Bacterial taxa associated with specific sample types were identified using Indicator Species Analysis. We explore the microbiome of R. mangle reproductive tissues for the first time. Populations and most sample types were associated with distinct communities. There is evidence for a core bacterial soil community, but not for core communities associated with specific plant tissue types or individuals. We found mixed evidence of rhizoengineering. Bacterial communities associated with R. mangle are influenced by host geography and sample type. Future work should explore the functional roles of these microbes and their relevance to biogeochemical cycling.

1 - Florida State University, 319 Stadium Dr, King Life Science Building, Tallahassee, FL, 32304, United States
2 - Florida State University, Department Of Biological Science, 319 Stadium Drive, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, United States
3 - Florida State University, 117 North Woodward Ave, King Life Science Building, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, United States

Keywords:
none specified

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: SYMB2, Symbioses: Plant, Animal and Microbe Interactions 2
Location: /
Date: Tuesday, July 20th, 2021
Time: 12:45 PM(EDT)
Number: SYMB2002
Abstract ID:187
Candidate for Awards:None