Bromeliad pools shared most microbes but differed in predicted jobs
WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS
Sequencing water-filled leaves of Aechmea nudicaulis and Vriesea minarum found about 80.3% shared microbial genera but significant composition and predicted pathway differences associated with distinct water chemistry.
WHY IT MATTERS / OUR READ
Small plant-held waters are ecological microhabitats; ecosystem inventories that ignore host identity may miss functional heterogeneity.
CAVEATS / UNCERTAINTY
16S amplicon data and PICRUSt pathways predict functional potential; the study did not demonstrate in situ nutrient cycling or host fitness benefits.
SOURCE
Symbiosis — dos Santos et al. (2026)
View original evidence ↗
Two co-occurring Brazilian plants reveal within-habitat diversity hidden by a single microbial list.
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