Exploring the mycobiota of bromeliads phytotelmata in Brazilian Campos Rupestres.

The phytotelmata is a water-filled tank on a terrestrial plant, and it plays an important role in bromeliad growth and ecosystem functioning. Even though previous studies have contributed to elucidate the composition of the prokaryotic component of this aquatic ecosystem, its mycobiota (fungal community) is still poorly known. In the present work, ITS2 amplicon deep sequencing was used to examine the fungal communities inhabiting the phytotelmata of two bromeliads species that coexist in a sun-exposed rupestrian field of Southeastern Brazil, namely Aechmea nudicaulis (AN) and Vriesea minarum (VM).