Fungal Community Composition Varies Across Floral and Extrafloral Nectaries

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Mycology
• Plant Science

Background:

• Floral (FNs) and extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) are crucial plant microhabitats for mediating plant-insect-microbe interactions.
• Fungal communities within these microhabitats, particularly in tropical ecosystems, are understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate fungal community diversity, taxonomic composition, and functional structure in FNs and EFNs of two Cerrado woody species.
• To compare fungal communities between nectary types and adjacent plant compartments (phyllosphere, endosphere).

Main Methods:

• Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding was employed to analyze fungal communities.
• Two Cerrado species, Maprounea brasiliensis and Hymenaea stigonocarpa, were studied.
• Fungal communities were analyzed across FNs, EFNs, phyllosphere, and endosphere compartments.

Main Results:

• Ascomycota dominated fungal communities, with Cladosporium being the most abundant genus.
• EFNs in M. brasiliensis showed higher fungal richness, diversity, and evenness compared to FNs, with distinct community compositions.
• No significant diversity differences were found between EFNs and phyllosphere/endosphere in H. stigonocarpa.
• Functional profiles indicated dominance of plant pathogenic and saprotrophic fungi, with yeasts being more prevalent in M. brasiliensis EFNs.

Conclusions:

• Floral and extrafloral nectaries serve as distinct ecological microhabitats shaping fungal communities in Cerrado plants.
• These findings contribute to understanding fungal community structuring and its implications for plant-microbe interactions in a biodiverse biome.