Genetic variation in leaf chemistry driven by herbivory affects phyllosphere fungal communities in an invasive plant

作者：Lifeng Zhou, Yige Zhao, Bernhard Schmid, Arjen Biere, Lin Jiang, Hongwei Yu, Mengqi Wang, Wandong Yin, Yu Shi, Jianqing Ding · 发表于：Journal of Plant Ecology · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1093/jpe/rtaf069 · 被引用次数：3 · 研究领域：Plant Pathogens and Fungal Diseases、Yeasts and Rust Fungi Studies、Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions

Abstract Leaf chemistry plays a central role in structuring phyllosphere microbiomes. Plant populations often evolve genetic differences in leaf chemistry across region due to both abiotic and biotic selection pressures, including insect herbivory. Plants in invasive populations may reassociate with native specialist insects, providing an ideal system to examine how herbivory-mediated changes in plant chemistry affect phyllosphere microbiome. Here, we conducted a common garden experiment using Ambrosia artemisiifolia populations differing in leaf chemistry and reassociation history with a specialist beetle—Ophraella communa. We found that plant populations with a longer reassociation history exhibited stronger herbivore resistance and supported phyllosphere communities with higher alpha diversity and more complex composition. These changes were associated with shifts in concentrations of plant metabolites and the expression levels of corresponding biosynthetic genes. The abundance of the fungal pathogens, Golovinomyces, decreased with increasing herbivore resistance, while Pestaliopsis showed the opposite trend. Although reassociation history was linked to population latitude, climatic and soil conditions at the sites of origin also contributed to between-population variation in leaf chemistry and phyllosphere fungal community composition. Our study suggests that genetic differences in leaf chemistry among plant populations can strongly affect herbivore resistance and phyllos...