Leho Tedersoo, Rein Drenkhan, Kessy Abarenkov, Sten Anslan, Mohammad Bahram, Kriss Bitenieks, Franz Buegger, Daniyal Gohar, Niloufar Hagh-Doust, Darta Klavina, Kristaps Makovskis, Austra Zusevica, Karin Pritsch, Allar Padari, Sergei Põlme, Saleh Rahimlou, Dainis Rungis, Vladimir Mikryukov
Partner specificity is a well-documented phenomenon in biotic interactions, yet the factors that determine specificity in plant-fungal associations remain largely unknown. By utilizing composite soil samples, we identified the predictors that drive partner specificity in both plants and fungi, with a particular focus on ectomycorrhizal associations. Fungal guilds exhibited significant differences in overall partner preference and avoidance, richness, and specificity to specific tree genera. The highest level of specificity was observed in root endophytic and ectomycorrhizal associations, while the lowest was found in arbuscular mycorrhizal associations...
April 2024: Environmental Microbiology Reports