Microbial diversity in two seagrasses in Mediterranean

This study explores the potential role of microbial assemblages in supporting the success of Halophila stipulacea in habitats shared with the native Mediterranean seagrass Cymodocea nodosa. Building on a controlled mesocosm experiment published in Chiquillo et al. 2022, we used 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to investigate the microbiomes associated with the phyllosphere (leaf surface) of both seagrass species. This work contributes to a growing body of research on plant-microbe interactions in marine ecosystems and raises new questions about the role of microbial community assembly in mediating species interactions and ecological shifts.