biostudies-literatureDendooven LCentro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico NacionalConsejo Nacional de Humanidades Ciencia y Tecnología (CONAHCyT)Consejo Nacional de Humanidades Ciencia y Tecnología90https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11222277biostudies-literatureUnknown87(1)Endophytes play an important role in plant development, survival, and establishment, but their temporal dynamics in young conifer plants are still largely unknown. In this study, the bacterial community was determined by metabarcoding of the 16S rRNA gene in the rhizoplane, roots, and aerial parts of 1- and 5-month-old seedlings of natural populations of Abies religiosa (Kunth) Schltdl. & Cham. In 1-month-old seedlings, Pseudomonas dominated aerial parts (relative abundance 71.6%) and roots (37.9%). However, the roots exhibited significantly higher bacterial species richness than the aerial parts, with the dissimilarity between these plant sections mostly explained by the loss of bacterial amplification sequence variants. After 5 months, Mucilaginibacter dominated in the rhizoplane (9.0%),Microbial ecologySpatial and Temporal Shifts of Endophytic Bacteria in Conifer Seedlings of Abies religiosa (Kunth) Schltdl. & Cham.PMC11222277INFR-2015-01-253217591213Tlalmis-Corona JPerez-Hernandez VDendooven LNavarro-Perez GNavarro-Noya YEfalseSpatial and Temporal Shifts of Endophytic Bacteria in Conifer Seedlings of Abies religiosa (Kunth) Schltdl. & Cham.Endophytes play an important role in plant development, survival, and establishment, but their temporal dynamics in young conifer plants are still largely unknown. In this study, the bacterial community was determined by metabarcoding of the 16S rRNA gene in the rhizoplane, roots, and aerial parts of 1- and 5-month-old seedlings of natural populations of Abies religiosa (Kunth) Schltdl. & Cham. In 1-month-old seedlings, Pseudomonas dominated aerial parts (relative abundance 71.6%) and roots (37.9%). However, the roots exhibited significantly higher bacterial species richness than the aerial parts, with the dissimilarity between these plant sections mostly explained by the loss of bacterial amplification sequence variants. After 5 months, Mucilaginibacter dominated in the rhizoplane (9.0%),2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Jul2025-04-04T19:23:27.172Z2025-04-04T19:23:27.172ZS-EPMC112222773895867510.1007/s00248-024-02398-9