Gut-associated fungal assemblage in Scolytinae

Bark beetles are important pests causing landscape-level damage to conifer forests. Such destructive acts often facilitated by their symbiotic associates, i.e. fungi. It is already reported that fungi support bark beetles in nutrient acquisition, secondary metabolite detoxification of host, and often in semiochemical production. However, very few studies were dedicated to identifying core gut fungal assemblage and their ecological relevance, which is a vital aspect of beetle-fungal symbiosis. In the present study, we have identified the core fungal assemblage of six bark beetles from Scolytinae family (mainly Ips species) collected from Czech Forests in 2018. We explored the ecological relevance for such fungal communities inside the beetle gut. Our results fulfill the current knowledge gap in the bark beetle-fungus symbiosis field and facilitate further downstream functional studies.