Seasonal Physiological Parameters and Phytotelmata Bacterial Diversity of Two Bromeliad Species (Aechmea gamosepala and Vriesea platynema) from the Atlantic Forest of Southern Brazil

Abstract

The ecology of complex microhabitats remains poorly characterized in most tropical and subtropical biomes, and holds potential to help understand the structure and dynamics of different biodiversity components in these ecosystems. We assessed nutritional and metabolic parameters of two bromeliad species (Aechmea gamosepala and Vriesea platynema) at an Atlantic Forest site and used 16S rDNA metabarcoding to survey the microbial communities inhabiting their tanks. We observed that levels of some nutrients (e.g., nitrogen) varied across seasons consistently in both species, while others (e.g., phenolic compounds) presented considerable differences between the two bromeliads. In contrast, patterns of tank microbial diversity did not follow a similar temporal trend. There was extensive variation in microbial composition among samples, which included intra-specific differences but also some consistent differences between the two bromeliads. For example, Citrobacter, Klebsiella and Pantoea presented significantly different abundances in the two species. Interestingly, the dominant bacterial genera in both species included Pseudomonas and Enterobacter, which have been reported to include plant-beneficial species. Overall, our data contribute to the characterization of the nutritional status of Atlantic Forest bromeliads and the composition of their prokaryotic communities, laying the foundation for detailed investigations targeting the ecological interactions between these plants and their associated microbes.

Illuminating protist diversity in pitcher plants and bromeliad tanks

“…This could be due to the species level morphological differences of tank forming bromeliads as differences in the shape of the tank likely contribute to dispersal patterns and water flow, perhaps leading to the observed variation in SAR communities. Previous work investigating eukaryotic and bacterial communities from wild bromeliads has demonstrated that extensive variation exists within and between bromeliad species [ 19 , 30 , 32 ], supporting our findings of variation in SAR communities within bromeliads found within 3 feet of one another in the Lyman Conservatory.…”

Remarkably Complex Microbial Community Composition in Bromeliad Tank Waters Revealed by eDNA Metabarcoding

“…For example, Giongo et al. (2019) observed that Pseudomonas and Enterobacter (both of which have been reported to contain plant‐beneficial species) were the two most abundant bacterial genera found in Aechmaea gamosepala and Vriesea platynema at the same Atlantic Forest site investigated here.…”

Florivory by the occupants of phytotelmata in flower parts can decrease host plant fecundity

“…As the organic matter found in phytotelmata is immersed in a humid substrate ( Figure 3 ), we suspect that the liquid that accumulates in the bracts during flowering may contain nutritional components for the larvae, such as the debris or even micro-invertebrates (see Seifert and Seifert, 1976a ; Seifert, 1982 ). Indeed, the phytotelmata contain a number of microorganisms and even micro-invertebrates ( Giongo et al 2019 ; Céréghino et al 2020 ), which can provide the basis of the food web in this system ( Kitching 2001 ). However, as the amount of this liquid decreases during the development of the fruit ( Wootton and Sun 1990 ), this shift in resource availability may have trigged the excavating behavior of the hoverfly we recorded in H. spathocircinata ( Figure 5 ).…”

“…These environments are colonized by a range of both micro- and macro-organisms ( Kitching 2001 ; Benítez-Malvido et al 2016 ; Céréghino et al 2020 ), many of which depend exclusively on phytotelmata as a breeding or feeding substrate ( Seifert and Seifert 1976a , 1976 b; Fish 1977 ; Thompson 1997 ). The microorganisms include fungi ( Barbosa et al 2012 ), bacteria ( Giongo et al 2019 ), protozoa ( Dunthorn et al 2012 ; Mendes et al 2019 ), and a number of micro-arthropods ( Naeem 1990 ). Macro-invertebrates are primarily arthropods (e.g., insects, myriads, crustaceans, and arachnids), as well as gastropods and flatworms ( Maguire 1971 ; Seifert 1981 ; Naeem 1990 ; Greeney 2001 ; Campos 2016 ).…”