Bacterial diversity in tree canopies of the Atlantic forest.
We found an extraordinary level of bacterial biodiversity in the tree leaf canopy of a tropical Atlantic forest by using culture-independent molecular methods. Our survey suggests that each tree species selects for a distinct microbial community. Analysis of the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences revealed that about 97% of the bacteria were unknown species and that the phyllosphere of any one tree species carries at least 95 to 671 bacterial species. The tree canopies of tropical forests likely represent a large reservoir of unexplored microbial diversity.
Lambais
M R
MR
Department of Soils and Soil Science, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. mlambais@esalq.usp.br
Crowley
D E
DE
Cury
J C
JC
Büll
R C
RC
Rodrigues
R R
RR
D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D044822:Biodiversity; D001938:Brazil; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D017753:Ecosystem; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000382:microbiology*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D014197:Trees / Q000382:microbiology*; D014329:Tropical Climate
D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S