Abstract:
Much of our understanding of root-microbe interactions derives from angiosperm studies where root microbiomes are likely driven by root exudates. Much less is known about the root microbiomes of seedless vascular plants even though this plant group evolved much earlier and was the first to develop roots. Single field horsetails (Equisetum arvense) and surrounding soils were collected from eight roadside sites in Erie County, Pennsylvania. Bacterial DNA was extracted from E. arvense roots and soil samples and the 16S rRNA V4 region was sequenced. Soil chemistry measures including pH, dissolved organic carbon, and ammonia content were determined at each site. Root and soil microbiomes were significantly different from one another, and both were significantly correlated with soil chemistry at each site. These results suggest that the root microbiome of E. arvense is influenced by the environment, and that horsetail roots host bacterial communities separate from those in adjacent soil microbiomes.
Team Members
Victoria Holmes | (Michael Ganger, Chris Dempsey, Russell Minton) | Gannon University
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