Metadata and phyloseq objects

Phyllosphere microbial communities influence the growth and productivity of plant species, particularly in epiphytic plants which are disconnected from nutrients available in the soil. We characterized the phyllosphere of 30 individuals of the epiphytic cycad, Zamia pseudoparasitica, collected from three locations and during the dry and rainy seasons in the Republic of Panama. We used DNA metabarcoding to describe the total bacteria community with 16S rRNA gene and the diazotrophic community with nifH gene. Common taxa included members of the Rhizobiales, Frankiales, Pseudonocardiales, Acetobacteriales, and the diazotrophic community was dominated by Cyanobacateria. We observed no differences in alpha diversity across sites and seasons, but community composition showed some variation across sampling locations and seasons for both the 16S rRNA and nifH markers. These differences were driven more by species turnover rather than loss of species across sites, suggesting structural stability with compositional flexibility in these communities. This suggests a strong host control of these phyllosphere communities.