Fig 1.
Comparison of bacterial pattern on pollen from birch and timothy grass.
A) PCoA (Bray-Curtis-Index) of bacterial pattern on birch pollen (Betula pendula; n = 55; black) and timothy grass pollen (Phleum pratense; n = 20; grey) show hardly overlapping 95%-confidence intervals. The significant differences were confirmed by ANOSIM (R = 0.81, p = 0.0001). B) In the cluster dendrogramm (Bray-Curtis) pollen from both species are forming separated groups also attesting the significant difference. C,D) Boxplots of indices weighing species due to their extent of abundance in bacterial community on birch- (Betula pendula; n = 55) and timothy grass-pollen (Phleum pratense, n = 20). In comparison the two groups differs significantly due to low abundant species (Shannon-index, p = 0.009), but not significantly due to high abundant species of bacterial composition (Simpson-index, p = 0.78).
Fig 2.
Comparison of fungal pattern on pollen from birch and timothy grass.
A) PCoA (Bray-Curtis-Index) of fungal pattern on birch pollen (Betula pendula; n = 31; black) and timothy grass pollen (Phleum pratense; n = 16; grey) show hardly overlapping 95%-confidence. The significant differences were confirmed by ANOSIM (R = 0.51, p = 0.0001). B) The cluster dendrogramm (Bray-Curtis-Index) demonstrates the separation of the two pollen species due to fungal pattern. C,D) Boxplots of indices weighing species due to their extent of abundance in fungal community on birch- and timothy grass-pollen. In comparison the two groups differed significantly due to low abundant species (Shannon-index, p = 0.006), and also due to high abundant species of fungal composition (Simpson-index, p = 0.005).
Fig 3.
Comparison of bacterial and fungal pattern on pollen collected in rural and urban sample sites.
PCoA performed to compare the microbial composition on pollen obtained from rural (grey) and urban areas (black). A) Bacterial composition on birch pollen. B) Bacterial composition on timothy grass pollen. C) Fungal composition on birch pollen. D) Fungal composition on timothy grass pollen.
Fig 4.
Spearman correlations of bacterial diversity on birch pollen to pollution parameter.
Scatterplot including linear trend line, spearman correlation values rho and significance level p of diversity indices (Shannon H/Simpson 1-D) and parameter (number of fragments n(tRFs)) of bacterial pattern on birch pollen (Betula pendula 2014, n = 55) with pollution measurements. A-D Correlation of n(tRFs) and pollution parameters ozone O3 (rs = 0.21, p = 0.13), nitrogendioxid NO2 (rs = -0.31, p = 0.027), ammonia NH3 (rs = 0.14, p = 0.34) and the urbanization-index (rs = -0.36, p < 0.01). E-H Correlation of Simpson diversity Index 1-D and pollution parameters O3 (rs = 0.39, p = 0.004), NO2 (rs = -0.54, p < 0.0001), NH3 (rs = 0.01, p = 0.94) and the urbanization-index (rs = -0.44, p = 0.001). I-L Correlation of Shannon diversity Index H and pollution parameters O3 (rs = 0.19, p = 0.17), NO2 (rs = -0.14, p = 0.31), NH3 (rs = 0.01, p = 0.89) and the urbanization-index (rs = 0.06, p = 0.67).
Fig 5.
Spearman correlations of bacterial diversity on birch pollen to allergenicity parameter.
Scatterplot including linear trend line, spearman correlation values rho and significance level p of diversity indices (Shannon H/Simpson 1-D) and parameter (number of fragments n(tRFs)) of bacterial pattern on birch pollen (Betula pendula 2014, n = 55) with allergen concentration in pollen. A-D) Correlation of n(tRFs) and allergenicity parameters Bet v 1 (rs = 0.28, p = 0.038), PALMLTB4 (rs = 0.14, p = 0.33), PALMPGE2 (rs = 0.17, p = 0.22) and NADPH oxidase (rs = -0.04, p = 0.79). E-H) Correlation of Simpson diversity Index 1-D and allergenicity parameters Bet v 1 (rs = 0.25, p = 0.068), PALMLTB4 (rs = 0.08, p = 0.53), PALMPGE2 (rs = .12, p = 0.366) and NADPH oxidase (rs = 0.2, p = 0.19). I-L) Correlation of Shannon diversity Index H and allergenicity parameters Bet v 1 (rs = 0.14, p = 0.317), PALMLTB4 (rs = -0.36, p = 0.006), PALMPGE2 (rs = -0.04, p = 0.0015) and NADPH oxidase (rs = 0.2, p = 0.19).