Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1186/s12870-026-08931-x
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Tree type-specific endophytic bacterial assembly and function in senescing leaves and needles in temperate forests of Central Europe
Author Ji, L.; Tanunchai, B.; Schroeter, S.A.; Wahdan, S.F.M.; Hossen, S.; Noll, M.; Purahong, W.
Source Titel BMC Plant Biology
Year 2026
Department AECOL
Volume 26
Page From art. 900
Language englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Supplements Supplement 1
Supplement 2
Keywords Leaf-associated bacteria; Tree type; Assembly process; Endophytes; Co-occurrence network; Central European forests
Abstract Background
Leaves and needles are pivotal plant tissues in regulating carbon input, nutrient uptake, and biogeochemical cycling within ecosystems. However, the ecological strategy of broadleaved and coniferous tree species affecting the endophytic colonization of leaf/needle for enabling a nutrient release of subsequent litter is not fully known. The bacterial community assembly, functions, and interactions (summarized as attributes) inhabiting senescing leaves and needles in eleven common tree species of Central European forests were investigated using next generation sequencing.
Results
Endophytic bacterial attributes varied significantly among tree species and between tree types (broadleaved and coniferous trees). Deterministic processes (nitrogen (N) related factors) governed the endophytic bacterial community assemblages in broadleaved tree species, which were dominated by ureolytic bacteria that potentially caused the increase in inorganic N. In turn, stochasticity (homogenizing dispersal and dispersal limitation) predominantly controlled the community assembly of bacteria inhabiting in needles. Compared with broadleaved, coniferous trees exhibited both more diverse bacterial taxa enlarging the capacity to cope with changing environmental factors.
Conclusions
Our results reveal the endophytic colonization patterns that initiate litter decomposition during leaf and needle maturation and demonstrate variations between tree types.
Ji, L., Tanunchai, B., Schroeter, S.A., Wahdan, S.F.M., Hossen, S., Noll, M., Purahong, W. (2026):
Tree type-specific endophytic bacterial assembly and function in senescing leaves and needles in temperate forests of Central Europe
BMC Plant Biol. 26 , art. 900
10.1186/s12870-026-08931-x