Phyllosphere fungi in two co-occurring prairie plants across the steep precipitation gradient in Kansas, USA

The central plains of the United states are characterized by a steep precipitation gradient and diverse herbaceous plant communities. The relative importance of precipitation and plant hosts on the fungi that occupy plant tissues has remained poorly understood. We sampled co-occurring plants - the dominant tallgrass prairie grass big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) and the common lead plant (Amorpha canescens) - along this precipitating gradient. We aimed to test hypotheses on the effects of the host plant and the precipitation on the assembly of fungal communities in the phyllosphere of these plants.