Environmental and host plant effects on taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of root fungal endophytes.

ABSTRACT: Nearly all plants are colonized by fungal endophytes, and a growing body of work shows that both environment and host species shape plant-associated fungal communities. However, few studies place their work in a phylogenetic context to understand endophyte community assembly through an evolutionary lens. Here, we investigated environmental and host effects on root endophyte assemblages in coastal Louisiana marshes. We isolated and sequenced culturable fungal endophytes from roots of three to four dominant plant species from each of three sites of varying salinity. We assessed taxonomic diversity and composition as well as phylogenetic diversity (mean phylogenetic distance, MPD) and phylogenetic composition (based on MPD). When we analyzed plant hosts present across the entire gradient, we

SUBMITTER: Farrer EC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11895511 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature