Response of fungal composition, diversity, and function in the phyllosphere of Aster tataricus to artificial temperature increase and precipitation adjustment in a Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau alpine meadow

Abstract

Phyllosphere fungi form close ecological ties with their hosts and participate in multiple ecosystem processes. This research investigated simulated climate change effects of warming and precipitation manipulationon the Aster tataricus fungal community in a Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau alpine meadow. Increased precipitation increased the fungal community diversity and richness indices, but warming had the opposite effect. Warming and precipitation adjustment in combination reduced the fungal community diversity. FUNGuild functional analysis of differences in the leaf fungal community in our study, and linked statistical analysis, determined that increasing precipitation significantly reduced relative abundance of pathogenic fungi and incidence of plant diseases, while warming and decreased precipitation did the opposite. Differences in the leaf fungal community in our study under warming and decreased precipitation would be predicted to increase incidence of plant diseases. These climate change simulations improve awareness of future plant disease risks in natural plant communities and provide opportunities to develop responses.