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

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Microbiology
• Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis

Background:

• Bromeliad phytotelmata are unique microhabitats supporting complex biological communities.
• Previous studies often overlook the fine-scale biodiversity within individual host plants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize eukaryotic and prokaryotic community composition in bromeliad phytotelmata.
• To investigate biodiversity patterns at different spatial scales, including within individual plants.
• To compare community structure across three different bromeliad species.

Main Methods:

• Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding was employed to identify microbial assemblages.
• Samples were collected from multiple individuals and tanks of three bromeliad species (Aechmea gamosepala, Vriesea friburgensis, Vriesea platynema).
• A total of 30 samples were analyzed to assess community composition and diversity.

Main Results:

• High eukaryotic and prokaryotic diversity was observed, with significant variation among individuals and even tanks from the same plant.
• Prokaryotic alpha diversity was generally higher than eukaryotic diversity, particularly in A. gamosepala and V. platynema.
• Community composition varied, with some taxa being species-specific, while most were shared but differed in frequency across samples.

Conclusions:

• Within-individual heterogeneity is a critical factor in assessing bromeliad phytotelmata biodiversity.
• Bromeliad phytotelmata host complex and highly variable biotic assemblages.
• Further research should focus on the fine-scale spatial distribution of biodiversity in these habitats.