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Inspire Session

Session: From the Desert to the Arctic: Ecological Significance of Bryophytes Across Systems

INS 15-6 - Phylogenetic and environmental controls on the structure of boreal moss microbiomes

Thursday, August 18, 2022

10:00 AM – 11:30 AM EDT

Location: 520A

Presenting Author(s)

HH

Hannah Holland-Moritz

University of New Hampshire, New Hampshire, United States

Co-author(s)

JS

Julia E.M. Stuart

MIchigan Technological University
LL

Lily R. Lewis

University of Florida
SM

Samantha N. Miller

Northern Arizona University, United States
JP

Jose Miguel Ponciano

University of Florida
MM

Michelle C. Mack

Northern Arizona University, United States
SM

Stuart F. McDaniel

University of Florida
NF

Noah Fierer

University of Colorado Boulder, United States

What structures moss microbiomes in high-latitude ecosystems–host or environment? High-latitude mosses harbor diverse microbes, including N₂-fixers which are key contributors to nitrogen dynamics, but it’s unclear if these microbiomes are shaped more by host or environment. We characterized the microbiomes, environmental factors, and N₂-fixation rates of 26 boreal moss species. While host and environment both shaped microbiomes, host evolutionary history was a more useful predictor of microbiome structure. We also identified novel bacteria and host-specific putative N₂-fixers outside the well-studied Cyanobacteria. We show that mosses provide new insight into plant-microbe interactions and the roles of moss-microbes in high-latitude ecosystems.