Plant Compartments and Developmental Stages Modulate the Balance between Niche-Based and Neutral Processes in Soybean Microbiome

Abstract

Understanding the dynamics of plant-associated microbial communities within agriculture is well documented. However, the ecological processes that assemble the plant microbiome are not well understood. This study elucidates the relative dominance of assembly processes across plant compartments (root, stem, and leaves) and developmental stages (emergence, growth, flowering, and maturation). Bacterial community composition and assembly processes were assessed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Null models that couple phylogenetic community composition and species distribution models were used to evaluate ecological assembly processes of bacterial communities. All models highlighted that the balance between the assembly process was modulated by compartments and developmental stages. Dispersal limitation dominated amongst the epiphytic communities and at the maturation stage. Homogeneous selection dominated assembly across plant compartments and developments stages. Overall, both sets of models were mostly in agreement in predicting the prevailing assembly processes. Our results show, for the first time, that even though niche-based processes dominate in the plant environment, the relative influence of dispersal limitation in community assembly is important.

Cytokinin-microbiome interactions regulate developmental functions

“…1 ). These results are in agreement with earlier reports concerning succession of microbial communities in the phyllosphere [ 8 , 41 , 42 ]. A more detailed look at the assembled phyllopshere microbiome through developmental aging revealed that the core microbiome, composed mostly of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, was altered in the microbial communities across development, suggesting that changes in the conditions required for survival, succession, persistence, and colonization of different microbial taxa, may occur during plant development and growth.…”

Cytokinin- microbiome interactions regulate developmental functions

“…Analysis of the bacterial phyllosphere community dynamics throughout plant developmental stages revealed significant changes to community richness and diversity ( Figure 1 ). These results are in agreement with earlier reports concerning succession of microbial communities in the phyllosphere (Wagner et al, 2016; Manching et al, 2018; Moroenyane et al, 2021). A more detailed look at the assembled phyllopshere microbiome through developmental aging revealed that the core microbiome, composed mostly of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, was altered in the microbial communities across development, suggesting that changes in the conditions required for survival, succession, persistence, and colonization of different microbial taxa, may occur during plant development and growth.…”

The Macleaya cordata Symbiont: Revealing the Effects of Plant Niches and Alkaloids on the Bacterial Community

“…Bacterial communities of different ecological niches were assembled under the effect of environmental filtering, ecological drift, and dispersal limitations ( Nemergut et al, 2013 ; Moroenyane et al, 2021 ). However, there is still a lack of understanding of these processes.…”