Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42104434›Full record

ArticleEnvironmental microbiome2026

Ecological drift and host filtering jointly structure foliar endophytes during ecosystem development.

Caio César Pires de Paula, Petr Macek, Milan Varsadiya, Jakub Borovec, Mehmet A Balkan, Brett S Younginger, Daniel J Ballhorn, Tomáš Picek, Tomáš Hájek, Jan Frouz and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Environmental microbiome, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Caio César Pires de PaulaBiology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Sádkách 7, 37005, České Budějovice, Czechia.
Petr MacekBiology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Sádkách 7, 37005, České Budějovice, Czechia.
Milan VarsadiyaFaculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005, České Budějovice, Czechia.
Jakub BorovecBiology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Sádkách 7, 37005, České Budějovice, Czechia.
Mehmet A BalkanBiology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Sádkách 7, 37005, České Budějovice, Czechia.
Brett S YoungingerBiology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Sádkách 7, 37005, České Budějovice, Czechia.
Daniel J BallhornDepartment of Biology, Portland State University, P.O. Box 751, Portland, OR, 97207-0751, USA.
Tomáš PicekFaculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005, České Budějovice, Czechia.
Tomáš HájekFaculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005, České Budějovice, Czechia.
Jan FrouzBiology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Sádkách 7, 37005, České Budějovice, Czechia.
Jiří BártaBiology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Sádkách 7, 37005, České Budějovice, Czechia.
Dagmara SirováBiology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Sádkách 7, 37005, České Budějovice, Czechia. dagmara.sirova@bc.cas.cz.

Funding

Grantová Agentura České Republiky 23-06429SMinisterstvo Školství, Mládeže a Tělovýchovy INTERFELLOWS project no. CZ.02.01.01/00/22_010/0003414National Science Foundation #2433146, Plant-Biotic Interactions
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFoliar endophytes contribute to plant nutrient acquisition, stress tolerance, and pathogen resistance, yet their responses to ecosystem-level processes remain poorly understood. Using a space-for-time substitution design, we investigated bacterial and fungal community dynamics in the foliar endosphere of four phylogenetically distinct plant hosts across a well-characterized successional chronosequence.

resultsAmplicon sequencing revealed that the ecosystem development stage (site age) significantly influenced endophyte community composition, particularly among fungi, but explained only a small proportion of the total variation. Host plant identity and associated leaf stoichiometry were stronger predictors of community structure, with sampling time within the growing season also contributing significantly. Together, these deterministic factors explained 10% and 11% of bacterial and fungal compositional variation, respectively, and 27% of predicted bacterial functional potential. Null model analyses indicated that remaining variation was mostly consistent with stochastic assembly processes, particularly ecological drift. Endophytic communities were characterized by a few persistent dominant taxa and many rare, transient members with overlapping functional potential, including N

conclusionsOur findings demonstrate that host identity outweighs ecosystem age in structuring foliar endophyte communities and that stochastic processes play a central role in community assembly. The coexistence of stable dominant taxa and a dynamic rare biosphere may enhance plant responsiveness to environmental changes, while the functional potential of endophytes may remain largely consistent across seasons and successional stages.

Indexed as

BacteriaCommunity structureDenitrificationEcological functionFungiLeaf tissue stoichiometryPrimary succession

Identifiers

PMID42104434
PMCPMC13321508

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.