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Seagrass rhizosphere microenvironment alters plant‐associated microbial community composition
Author(s) -
Brodersen Kasper Elgetti,
Siboni Nachshon,
Nielsen Daniel A.,
Pernice Mathieu,
Ralph Peter J.,
Seymour Justin,
Kühl Michael
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.954
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1462-2920
pISSN - 1462-2912
DOI - 10.1111/1462-2920.14245
Subject(s) - seagrass , rhizosphere , biology , sediment , botany , meristem , microbial population biology , zostera marina , rhizome , environmental chemistry , ecosystem , bacteria , ecology , shoot , chemistry , paleontology , genetics
Summary The seagrass rhizosphere harbors dynamic microenvironments, where plant‐driven gradients of O 2 and dissolved organic carbon form microhabitats that select for distinct microbial communities. To examine how seagrass‐mediated alterations of rhizosphere geochemistry affect microbial communities at the microscale level, we applied 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of artificial sediments surrounding the meristematic tissues of the seagrass Zostera muelleri together with microsensor measurements of the chemical conditions at the basal leaf meristem (BLM). Radial O 2 loss (ROL) from the BLM led to ∼ 300 µm thick oxic microzones, wherein pronounced decreases in H 2 S and pH occurred. Significantly higher relative abundances of sulphate‐reducing bacteria were observed around the meristematic tissues compared to the bulk sediment, especially around the root apical meristems (RAM; ∼ 57% of sequences). Within oxic microniches, elevated abundances of sulphide‐oxidizing bacteria were observed compared to the bulk sediment and around the RAM. However, sulphide oxidisers within the oxic microzone did not enhance sediment detoxification, as rates of H 2 S re‐oxidation here were similar to those observed in a pre‐sterilized root/rhizome environment. Our results provide novel insights into how chemical and microbiological processes in the seagrass rhizosphere modulate plant‐microbe interactions potentially affecting seagrass health.