Molecular functional diversity of foliar endophytic fungi and their contributions to seedling survival in a subtropical forest

Molecular functional diversity of foliar endophytic fungi and their contributions to seedling survival in a subtropical forest | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL Ecology Letters This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 3 September 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Molecular functional diversity of foliar endophytic fungi and their contributions to seedling survival in a subtropical forest Authors : Baocai Han , Yunquan Wang 0000-0001-6022-2340 , Sirong Zhang 0009-0000-9582-8908 , Xiangcheng Mi 0000-0002-2971-5881 , Lei Chen , Xiaojuan Liu 0000-0002-9292-4432 , Keping Ma , and Yu Liang 0000-0003-4259-6028 [email protected] Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175692124.42418250/v1 Published Ecology Letters Version of record Peer review timeline 255 views 223 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Plant-microbe interactions are critical in shaping forest dynamics, yet molecular functions through which foliar endophytic fungi (FEF) influence seedling survival and coexistence remain unresolved. Combining FEF transcriptomics with seedling dynamics in a subtropical forest, we tested whether FEF molecular functions regulate seedling survival via host fitness differences and niche differentiation under modern coexistence theory. We found FEF transcripts diversity strongly associated with host divergence time and maximum height, and FEF functions significantly enhance seedling survival through fitness-related and niche-related processes. Among these FEF functions, gene ontology (GO) terms with high host-phylogeny dependence enhance seedling survival through fitness differences associated with stimulus responses and multi-organism interactions, and those with high host-trait dependence enhanced seedling survival through fitness differences related to basic life processes. For GOs independent to host-phylogeny and host-trait, they enhance seedling survival via increased niche differentiation. Our findings bridge microbial functional genomics with modern coexistence theory in natural forests. Supplementary Material File (han_el_manuscript20250524.final.docx) Download 2.10 MB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 03 September 2025 Peer review timeline Published Ecology Letters Version of Record 11 Dec 2025 Published Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Collection Ecology Letters Authors Affiliations Baocai Han Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences View all articles by this author Yunquan Wang 0000-0001-6022-2340 College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University View all articles by this author Sirong Zhang 0009-0000-9582-8908 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences View all articles by this author Xiangcheng Mi 0000-0002-2971-5881 Institute of Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences View all articles by this author Lei Chen Chinese academy of Sciences View all articles by this author Xiaojuan Liu 0000-0002-9292-4432 Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences View all articles by this author Keping Ma Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences View all articles by this author Yu Liang 0000-0003-4259-6028 [email protected] Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 255 views 223 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Baocai Han, Yunquan Wang, Sirong Zhang, et al. Molecular functional diversity of foliar endophytic fungi and their contributions to seedling survival in a subtropical forest. Authorea . 03 September 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175692124.42418250/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . Format Please select one from the list RIS (ProCite, Reference Manager) EndNote BibTex Medlars RefWorks Direct import Tips for downloading citations document.getElementById('citMgrHelpLink').addEventListener('click', function() { popupHelp(this.href); return false; }); $(".js__slcInclude").on("change", function(e){ if ($(this).val() == 'refworks') $('#direct').prop("checked", false); $('#direct').prop("disabled", ($(this).val() == 'refworks')); }); View Options View options PDF View PDF Figures Tables Media Share Share Share article link Copy Link Copied! Copying failed. Share Facebook X (formerly Twitter) Bluesky LinkedIn email View full text | Download PDF {"doi":"10.22541/au.175692124.42418250/v1","type":"Article"} Now Reading: Share Figures Tables Close figure viewer Back to article Figure title goes here Change zoom level Go to figure location within the article Download figure Toggle share panel Toggle share panel Share Toggle information panel Toggle information panel Go to previous graphic Go to next graphic Go to previous table Go to next table All figures All tables View all material View all material xrefBack.goTo xrefBack.goTo Request permissions Expand All Collapse Expand Table Show all references SHOW ALL BOOKS Authors Info & Affiliations About FAQs Contact Us Directory RSS Back to top Powered by Research Exchange Preprints Help Terms Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences $(document).ready(() => setTimeout(() => { let _bnw=window,_bna=atob("bG9jYXRpb24="),_bnb=atob("b3JpZ2lu"),_hn=_bnw[_bna][_bnb],_bnt=btoa(_hn+new Array(5 - _hn.length % 4).join(" ")); $.get("/resource/lodash?t="+_bnt); },4000)); (function(){function c(){var b=a.contentDocument||a.contentWindow.document;if(b){var d=b.createElement('script');d.innerHTML="window.__CF$cv$params={r:'9feb929b5c6906eb',t:'MTc3OTI4MjUzMw=='};var a=document.createElement('script');a.src='/cdn-cgi/challenge-platform/scripts/jsd/main.js';document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(a);";b.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(d)}}if(document.body){var a=document.createElement('iframe');a.height=1;a.width=1;a.style.position='absolute';a.style.top=0;a.style.left=0;a.style.border='none';a.style.visibility='hidden';document.body.appendChild(a);if('loading'!==document.readyState)c();else if(window.addEventListener)document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',c);else{var e=document.onreadystatechange||function(){};document.onreadystatechange=function(b){e(b);'loading'!==document.readyState&&(document.onreadystatechange=e,c())}}}})();