Analysis of microbiota associated with springtail species Orchesella cincta. Both microbiota and endomicrobiota were investigated.

Springtails are important members of the soil fauna and play a key role in plant litter decomposition, for example through stimulation of the microbial activity. However, their interaction with soil microorganisms remain poorly understood and it is unclear which microorganisms are part of the springtail (endo) microbiota. Therefore, we assessed the structure of the microbiota of the springtail Orchesella cincta (L.) using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Individuals were sampled across sites in the field and the microbiota and in particular the endomicrobiota were investigated. Analysis of the microbiota revealed the abundance of the families of Rickettsiaceae, Enterobacteiaceae and Comamonadaceae and at the genus level the most abundant genera included Rickettsia, Chryseobacterium, Pseudomonas, and Stenotrophomonas. Microbial communities were distinct for the interior of the springtails for measures of community diversity and exhibited structure according to collection sites. Metabolic profiling of the springtail bacterial community suggests that abundant members of the microbiota may be associated with soil related metabolism and biodegradation. Together these results add to our understanding of the microbiota of springtails and interaction with soil microorganisms including their putative functional roles.