Viral community diversity in the rhizosphere of the foundation salt marsh plant <i>Spartina alterniflora</i>.

ABSTRACT: Viruses of microorganisms impact microbial population dynamics, community structure, nutrient cycling, gene transfer, and genomic innovation. In wetlands, root-associated microbial communities mediate key biogeochemical processes important for plants involved in ecosystem maintenance. Nonetheless, the presence and role of microbial viruses in salt marshes remain poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed 24 metagenomes retrieved from the root zone of Spartina alterniflora, a foundation plant in salt marshes of the eastern and Gulf coasts of the U.S. The samples span three plant compartments-bulk sediment, rhizosphere, and root-and two cordgrass plant phenotypes: short and tall. We observed differentiation between phenotypes and increased similarity in viral communities between th

SUBMITTER: Du Plessis I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12570469 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature