Investigation of the ecological roles of plant endophytic keystone taxa in desertification environments

The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) is under serious desertification stress, which has been receiving increasing attention. Although the restoration of surface vegetation is crucial, the growth of plants is often hindered by the unfavorable oligotrophic conditions. The plant-associated endophytic microbiome is considered as the secondary genome of the host and plays a significant role in host survival under environmental stresses. However, the community compositions and functions of plant-endophytic microorganisms in the QTP desertification environments remain unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the endophytic microbiome of the pioneer plant Gueldenstaedtia verna on the QTP and its contribution to host growth under stressful conditions.