RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Exposure to Airborne Bacteria Depends upon Vertical Stratification and Vegetation Complexity
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2020.11.11.377630
DO 10.1101/2020.11.11.377630
A1 Jake M. Robinson
A1 Christian Cando-Dumancela
A1 Rachael E. Antwis
A1 Ross Cameron
A1 Craig Liddicoat
A1 Ravin Poudel
A1 Philip Weinstein
A1 Martin F. Breed
YR 2020
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2020/11/11/2020.11.11.377630.abstract
AB Exposure to biodiverse aerobiomes may support human health, but it is unclear which ecological factors influence exposure. Few studies have investigated near-surface green space aerobiome dynamics, and no studies have investigated aerobiome vertical stratification in different green spaces. We used columnar sampling and next generation sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene, combined with geospatial and network analyses to investigate aerobiome spatio-compositional dynamics. We show a strong effect of habitat on bacterial diversity and network complexity. We observed aerobiome vertical stratification and network complexity that was contingent on habitat type. Tree density, closer proximity, and canopy coverage associated with greater aerobiome alpha diversity. Grassland aerobiomes exhibited greater proportions of putative pathogens compared to scrub, and also stratified vertically. We provide new insights into the urban ecosystem with potential importance for public health, whereby the possibility of differential aerobiome exposures appears to depend on habitat type and height in the airspace.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.