LB 29-245 - Spatial distribution of epiphytic fungal communities associated with lodgepole pine

Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud.) is one of the most widely distributed conifer species in Westen North America occurring from the Pacific Coast to the Rocky Mountains. Drought tolerance, fire dependency, and rapid juvenile growth allow the widespread of this species under different conditions including natural and anthropogenic disturbances. In addition, associations with groups of bacteria and fungi that colonize distinct tree compartments and provide nutritional and non-nutritional benefits increase the fitness of lodgepole pine. Considering the importance of plant microbiome and the lack of infomation regarding the epiphytic fungi, in this study we used a nested approach to assess the spatial distribution of epiphytic fungal communities associated with lodgepole pine. In Yosemite National Park, California - USA, we selected three sites (c. 1 - 5 km apart), three subpopulations of lodgepole per site (distinct sections within plant populations, c. 10 m apart), and three neighborhood scales (c. 25 cm apart) to collect three twigs per tree to characterize the fungal epiphyte communities using ITS metabarcoding approch and Illumina sequencing. The epiphytic fungal communities were dominated primarily by Ascomycota and secondary by Basidiomycota groups. The alpha and beta diversities of epiphytic fungi did not change between sites, subsites, and neighbors scales indicating that the plant species is one important driver of the epiphytic fungal communities.