TY - JOUR
T1 - Host species and temperature drive beech and Scots pine phyllosphere microbiota across European forests
AU - Sangiorgio, Daniela
AU - Caliz, Joan
AU - Mattana, Stefania
AU - Barcelo, Anna
AU - De Cinti, Bruno
AU - Elustondo, David
AU - Hellsten, Sofie
AU - Magnani, Federico
AU - Matteucci, Giorgio
AU - Merila, Paivi
AU - Nicolas, Manuel
AU - Ravaioli, Dario
AU - Thimonier, Anne
AU - Vanguelova, Elena
AU - Verstraeten, Arne
AU - Waldner, Peter
AU - Casamayor, Emilio O.
AU - Penuelas, Josep
AU - Mencuccini, Maurizio
AU - Guerrieri, Rossella
PY - 2024/11/29
Y1 - 2024/11/29
N2 - Tree-microbe interactions are essential for forest ecosystem functioning. Most plant-microbe research has focused on the rhizosphere, while composition of microbial communities in the phyllosphere remains underexplored. Here, we use 16S rRNA gene sequencing to explore differences between beech and Scots pine phyllospheric microbiomes at the European continental scale, map their functional profiles, and elucidate the role of host trees, forest features, and environmental factors such as climate and atmospheric deposition in phyllosphere microbiota assembly. We identified tree species and the associated foliar trait (specifically carbon:nitrogen ratio) as primary drivers of the bacterial communities. We characterized taxonomical and functional composition of epiphytic bacteria in the phyllosphere of beech and Scots pine across an environmental gradient from Fennoscandia to the Mediterranean area, with major changes in temperature and nitrogen deposition. We also showed that temperature and nitrogen deposition played a crucial role in affecting their assembly for both tree species. This study contributes to advancing our understanding on factors shaping phyllosphere microbial communities in beech and Scots pine at the European continental scale, highlighting the need of broad-scale comparative studies (covering a wide range of foliar traits and environmental conditions) to elucidate how phyllosphere microbiota mediates ecosystem responses to global change. Phyllosphere microbiota of beech and Scots pine at European continental scale is influenced by the host species and associated foliar traits, as well as by temperature and nitrogen deposition, according to 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyses on leaf epiphytic microbes.
AB - Tree-microbe interactions are essential for forest ecosystem functioning. Most plant-microbe research has focused on the rhizosphere, while composition of microbial communities in the phyllosphere remains underexplored. Here, we use 16S rRNA gene sequencing to explore differences between beech and Scots pine phyllospheric microbiomes at the European continental scale, map their functional profiles, and elucidate the role of host trees, forest features, and environmental factors such as climate and atmospheric deposition in phyllosphere microbiota assembly. We identified tree species and the associated foliar trait (specifically carbon:nitrogen ratio) as primary drivers of the bacterial communities. We characterized taxonomical and functional composition of epiphytic bacteria in the phyllosphere of beech and Scots pine across an environmental gradient from Fennoscandia to the Mediterranean area, with major changes in temperature and nitrogen deposition. We also showed that temperature and nitrogen deposition played a crucial role in affecting their assembly for both tree species. This study contributes to advancing our understanding on factors shaping phyllosphere microbial communities in beech and Scots pine at the European continental scale, highlighting the need of broad-scale comparative studies (covering a wide range of foliar traits and environmental conditions) to elucidate how phyllosphere microbiota mediates ecosystem responses to global change. Phyllosphere microbiota of beech and Scots pine at European continental scale is influenced by the host species and associated foliar traits, as well as by temperature and nitrogen deposition, according to 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyses on leaf epiphytic microbes.
U2 - 10.1038/s43247-024-01895-6
DO - 10.1038/s43247-024-01895-6
M3 - A1: Web of Science-article
VL - 5
JO - COMMUNICATIONS EARTH ENVIRONMENT
JF - COMMUNICATIONS EARTH ENVIRONMENT
IS - 1
ER -