Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-11-2024
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Biology
First Advisor
Colin Jackson
Second Advisor
Wayne Gray
Third Advisor
John Samonds
Relational Format
Thesis
Abstract
The phyllosphere, consisting of aerial plant surfaces colonized by microorganisms, remains a relatively understudied ecosystem in terms of bacterial biogeography, particularly at intermediate spatial scales. This study characterized the bacterial community on the leaves of 89 Magnolia grandiflora trees throughout a small town, encompassing an area of approximately 60 km2. Sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene revealed the dominant bacterial phyla to be Alphaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Acidobacteria, consistent with other studies of the phyllosphere. Unlike other studies over smaller spatial scales, there was no significant relationship between phyllosphere community similarity and distance between trees (i.e., trees further apart were as likely to have similar bacterial communities as trees closer together). However, there was a relationship between tree height and bacterial community composition. Taller trees showed more diverse bacterial communities in the phyllosphere than shorter ones. Overall, this study provides insight into the relationship between phyllosphere community composition and tree characteristics. Contrary to expectations, distance between M. grandiflora trees was not a significant influence on bacterial composition, suggesting a need for a more focused examination of the factors shaping microbial communities associated with plants.
Recommended Citation
Eckard, Elizabeth M.; Kota, Venkat K.; and Luber, Kurre T., "Biogeographic Patterns in Phyllosphere Bacterial Communities on Southern Magnolia Trees in a Small Town" (2024). Honors Theses. 3068.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3068
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