Influence of Growth Support on the Diversity, Composition, and Functionality of Microbial Communities Associated with Tillandsia recurvata

Abstract

Tillandsia recurvata is an epiphytic plant commonly found in tropical regions and colonizes tree trunks, fences, and power wires. This plant plays an important role in interacting with trees, sharing microorganisms, and performing specific functions in the process of tree colonization. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the microbiomes of T. recurvata collected from two different locations (trees and fences) and two plant tissues (leaves and roots). The hypothesis of this study was that the microbiome of T. recurvata is composed of microorganisms that would provide nutritional support to compensate for the lack of nutrients in a particular growth support. The results showed significant differences in microbial diversity between trees and fences, with trees exhibiting higher richness and more complex microbial networks. Proteobacteria was the most prevalent bacterial phylum, with Actinobacteria and Sphingomonas also playing key roles in nitrogen fixation and plant growth. Fungal communities were similar across locations, with Ascomycota and Basidiomycota being predominant, but Paraconiothyrium and Nigrospora showed significant differences in abundance between trees and fences. Functional analysis indicated similar metabolic profiles across leaf and root samples, with key functions for T. recurvata including carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism, stress control, and biofertilization.