Elevation shapes the seed endophytic bacteria richness and composition of <i>Taraxacum officinale</i>

Romy Moukarzel; Cristian-Andrei Costan; Philip E. Hulme; Romy Moukarzel; Cristian-Andrei Costan; Philip E. Hulme

doi:10.3934/microbiol.2026016

AIMS Microbiology

2026, Volume 12, Issue 2: 377-392. doi: 10.3934/microbiol.2026016

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Research article

Elevation shapes the seed endophytic bacteria richness and composition of Taraxacum officinale

1.
Department of Pest-Management and Conservation, Lincoln University, Lincoln 7647, Canterbury, New Zealand
2.
Bioprotection Aotearoa, Lincoln University, Lincoln, Canterbury, New Zealand
3.
Foundation for Arable Research, Templeton, 7678, Canterbury, New Zealand

Received: 11 May 2026 Revised: 08 June 2026 Accepted: 18 June 2026 Published: 24 June 2026

Taraxacum officinale, a widely invasive plant species in New Zealand, thrives across environments, yet little is known about the seed endophytic microbial communities contributing to its adaptability. In this study, we characterized the bacterial community within T. officinale seeds across an elevation gradient of 10 to 720 meters above sea level. Using PCR-DGGE fingerprinting and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we characterized bacterial community structures and assessed variations across sites. Bacterial richness declined significantly with increasing elevation, accompanied by distinct shifts in community composition. Non-metric multidimensional scaling revealed clear clustering of communities according to elevation, with higher elevation sites exhibiting more similar and less diverse microbiomes compared to lower elevation locations. A total of six dominant bacterial genera were identified: Pseudomonas, Streptomyces, Clavibacter, Xanthomonas, Stenotrophomonas, and Erwinia. These included core genera detected across sites and location-specific genera associated with particular elevations. These results suggested that elevation acts as an environmental filter shaping seed microbiome assembly, with potential implications for microbial transmission and plant adaptation. The functional consequences of these shifts for plant performance, adaptation, and invasion success remain unknown and require further investigation.
- seed microbiome,
- endophytic bacteria,
- ecological adaptability,
- plant-microbe interaction,
- plant invasion,
- weed,
- climate
Citation: Romy Moukarzel, Cristian-Andrei Costan, Philip E. Hulme. Elevation shapes the seed endophytic bacteria richness and composition of Taraxacum officinale[J]. AIMS Microbiology, 2026, 12(2): 377-392. doi: 10.3934/microbiol.2026016

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Abstract

Taraxacum officinale, a widely invasive plant species in New Zealand, thrives across environments, yet little is known about the seed endophytic microbial communities contributing to its adaptability. In this study, we characterized the bacterial community within T. officinale seeds across an elevation gradient of 10 to 720 meters above sea level. Using PCR-DGGE fingerprinting and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we characterized bacterial community structures and assessed variations across sites. Bacterial richness declined significantly with increasing elevation, accompanied by distinct shifts in community composition. Non-metric multidimensional scaling revealed clear clustering of communities according to elevation, with higher elevation sites exhibiting more similar and less diverse microbiomes compared to lower elevation locations. A total of six dominant bacterial genera were identified: Pseudomonas, Streptomyces, Clavibacter, Xanthomonas, Stenotrophomonas, and Erwinia. These included core genera detected across sites and location-specific genera associated with particular elevations. These results suggested that elevation acts as an environmental filter shaping seed microbiome assembly, with potential implications for microbial transmission and plant adaptation. The functional consequences of these shifts for plant performance, adaptation, and invasion success remain unknown and require further investigation.

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Lincoln University Start-up Funds.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest, with all authors consenting to publication.

Author contributions

Conceptualization: Philip Hulme, Romy Moukarzel; data collection and methodology: Romy Moukarzel, Andrei Costan, formal analysis and investigation: Philip Hulme, Romy Moukarzel, Andrei Costan; writing-original draft preparation: Romy Moukarzel. Writing-review and editing: Philip Hulme, Andrei Costan. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.

Data availability

The data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and/or its supplementary materials.

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