Prokaryotic communities adapted to microhabitats on the Indian lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) growing in the high-altitude urban Dal Lake.

Abstract

Indian lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is one of the dominant aquatic plants cultivated in Dal Lake, situated at 1586 m above MSL in the northeast of Srinagar, Kashmir. Despite their economic and ecological role, the microbial communities associated with the lotus plant are still unexplored. In this study, we investigated prokaryotic communities harboured by different lotus microhabitats (roots, rhizome, leaves, flowers and fruits), lake water, and sediments using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Overall, prokaryotic diversity decreased significantly on the lotus in comparison to the lake water and sediments. Among the microhabitats of lotus, roots and leaves harboured more diverse communities in comparison to rhizomes, fruits and flowers. A total of 98 genera were shared by lotus and the Dal Lake sediments and water. However, significant differences were found in their relative abundance, like Pseudomonas was the most dominant genus on most lotus microhabitats. On the other hand, Flavobacterium was highly abundant in the lake water, while a higher abundance of Acinetobacter was recorded in sediments. Additionally, significant differences were recorded in the proportion of several genera including Pseudomonas, Clostridium, Sphingomonas, Erwinia, Lactococcus, Rhizobium, Weissella, and Raoultella among the lotus microhabitats. Predicted functions of prokaryotic communities revealed a higher abundance of genes associated with nutrient uptake in the microhabitats of the lotus. This study offered first-hand information on the prokaryotic communities harboured by lotus plants and water and sediments of the Dal Lake and demonstrated the adaptation of diverse communities to microhabitats of lotus.