Effects of Temperature Increase on Microbiome of Carnivorous Plant Utricularia vulgaris L. in Peat Bog Ecosystems

TL;DR

This study explores how rising temperatures affect the microbiome of the carnivorous plant Utricularia vulgaris in peat bogs and fens, revealing that microbial diversity and abundance are higher in water than in plant traps.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into how temperature changes influence the microbiome of carnivorous plants in different peatland types.

Findings

Microbial communities are more abundant and diverse in water than in plant traps.

Elevated temperatures stimulate microbial growth in water but negatively affect plant trap microbiomes.

Higher trophic status habitats show stronger microbial responses to temperature increases.

Abstract

Climate change significantly affects peatland ecosystems, which are among the most sensitive and endangered in Europe. Carnivorous plants, such as Utricularia vulgaris, together with their associated microbial communities, are integral components of these habitats. This study aimed to investigate how increasing water temperature influences the abundance, biomass, and diversity of microorganisms living both in the water and inside plant traps, in two contrasting peatland types: a Sphagnum peat bog and a carbonate-rich fen. The research demonstrated that microbial communities are more abundant and diverse in water than in plant traps. Elevated temperatures generally stimulated microbial growth, especially in habitats with a higher trophic status; however, such conditions negatively affected the microbiome within the plant traps. The results suggest that the microbiome of Utricularia vulgaris traps reflects the fertility of the surrounding environment. These findings are crucial for understanding how global warming may alter the delicate balance of peatland ecosystems and their biodiversity. This knowledge is valuable for future conservation efforts, as it identifies early bioindicators of climate change and informs strategies to protect vulnerable wetland species and their habitats.

Climate change can have a direct impact on the decomposition of organic matter, as well as indirect effects on peatland vegetation (including carnivorous plants) and the microbial communities associated with this environment. The activity of microbes varies depending on the type of peatland they inhabit. Because some microorganisms are highly sensitive, they can be used as indicators of climate change. However, there is still little knowledge of how changes in the temperature of the environment can affect the microbiome of carnivorous plants. The study was conducted to test the following hypotheses: (1) The effect of rising water temperature on the qualitative and quantitative structure of the microbiome of carnivorous peatland plants depends on the type of peatland; (2) habitats with a higher trophic status stimulate the development of microbial communities in the water, but are an unfavourable habitat for the development of the microbiome of plant traps. Irrespective of the type of peatland, the species richness of microorganisms was much higher in the water than in the traps. As the temperature increased, there was an increase in the abundance of bacteria, heterotrophic flagellates, and testate amoebae, which was much more pronounced in the peat bog than in the carbonate fen.

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