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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
The diversity and potential factors that influence fungal assemblages in the
phyllosphere ofMediterranean tree species have been barely studied, especially when endophytic
and epiphytic communities are simultaneously considered. The endophytic and epiphytic
fungal communities in the phyllosphere of olive tree, a typically Mediterranean species adapted
to grow under adverse climatic conditions, were studied for evaluating differences between
both fungal communities, and examine whether different abiotic (climate-related) and biotic
(plant organ) factors play a role in structuring these communities. Both communities differed
in size and composition, being the epiphytic community richer and more abundant, displaying
a dominance of melanized fungi. Season was the major driver of community composition,
~ especially of epiphytes. Other drivers shaping epiphytes were wind speed and temperature.
Plant organ, rainfall, and temperature were drivers of endophytic composition. In contrast,
limited variation is provided by canopy orientation, but its effect was distinct among seasons. In
conclusion, epiphytic and endophytic communities are not driven by the same factors. Several
sources of variation interact in complex ways to form and maintain the phyllosphere fungal
community in Mediterranean climates. The importance of climatic parameters for these fungal
communities suggests that they are likely to be affected by future climate change.
Description
Keywords
Mediterranean ecosystem
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Gomes, Teresa; Pereira, J.A.; Benhadi, Jacinto; Lino-Neto, Teresa; Baptista, Paula (2018). Endophytic and epiphytic phyllosphere fungal communities are shaped by different environmental factors in a Mediterranean ecosystem. In 3rd Annual Meeting of the COST Action FA1405, Three-way interactions between plants, microbes and arthropods: impacts, mechanisms and utilization. St Julians, Malta