Leaf resistance traits influence endophytic fungi colonization and community composition in a South American temperate rainforest

Despite the ubiquitous presence of fungal endophytes in woody plants, mechanisms underlying variation in foliar fungal endophyte communities are poorly understood. Given that endophytes in woody plants are predominantly horizontally transmitted, fungal endophyte colonization of foliar tissues is likely to be influenced by plant resistance traits. Here, we evaluated the association between leaf resistance traits and colonization and community composition of horizontally transmitted endophytes (HTE) in ten dominant trees species in a temperate rainforest in Southern Chile. Because resistance traits might restrict colonization of HTE, it was hypothesized that host trees with similar leaf resistance traits would show similar HTE communities.
We measured leaf traits with reported roles in plant resistance against pathogens and/or herbivores: cell wall polysaccharides, leaf toughness, flavonoids, anthocyanins, terpenoids and chitinases. We also determined variation in fungal read counts,...