Effects of Plant Phylogeny and Traits on the Composition of Phyllosphere Microbial Communities in a Typical Temperate Desert in Central Asia

Sep 30, 2026

Phyllosphere microorganisms support host plant health and adaptability, yet how plant phylogeny and functional traits shape these communities in temperate desert environments remains unclear. Using quantitative profiling of bacterial and fungal communities across 39 plant species in the Gurbantunggut Desert, the study applied variation partitioning, mixed-effects modeling, and interaction analyses. Plant phylogeny and leaf physicochemical and morphological traits jointly explained community variation, revealing plant filtering as dominant. Host preferences and phylogenetic host–microbe associations further link plant traits to microbial assembly and desert coexistence.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

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Pages21

Reading Time53 min

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Abstract

Introduction

Microbial Ecology (2026) 89:13 [https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-025-02635-9](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-025-02635-9) Effects of Plant Phylogeny and Traits on the Composition of Phyllosphere Microbial Communities in a Typical Temperate Desert in Central Asia Jun Zhang1,2,3,4 · Xiaobing Zhou1,2,3 · Xiaoying Rong1,2,3 · Haytham Salem1,2,3 · Jing Zhang1,2,3 · Benfeng Yin1,2,3 · Xing Guo1,2,3 · Yuanming Zhang1,2,3 Received: 23 June 2025 / Accepted: 13 October 2025 © The Author(s) 2025 Abstract Phyllosphere microorganisms play a vital role in supporting host plant health and adaptability. Although previous research on the effects of host performance and their phylogenetic associations on phyllosphere microbial communities has predominantly focused on tropical, subtropical, and temperate forestry ecosystems, the responses of these microbial communities to plant phylogeny and functional traits in temperate desert environments remains poorly understood. In this study, we conducted a quantitative analysis of bacterial and fungal community structures in the phyllosphere of 39 plant species from the Gurbantunggut Desert, a typical temperate desert in Central Asia. Variation partitioning analysis revealed that plant phylogeny, leaf physicochemical properties, and leaf morphological characteristics collectively explained the variation in phyllosphere microbial communities. Specifically, these factors accounted for 19.26%, 14.53%, and 2.32% of the variance in bacterial communities, and 11.55%, 8.36%, and 2.19% of the variance in fungal communities, respectively. A significant hierarchical pattern emerged: plant phylogeny > leaf physicochemical properties > leaf morphological characteristics, highlighting the dominant role of plant filtering effects in community assembly. Linear mixed-effects model analysis further confirmed the significant influence of multiple plant attributes, including phylogeny and functional traits, on microbial community structure. Plant–microbe interaction analysis revealed distinct host preferences of microbial taxa across different plant taxonomic levels. Co-evolutionary analysis also indicated a significant phylogenetic association between host plants and their phyllosphere amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). Overall, our findings demonstrate that plant attributes, particularly plant phylogeny and functional traits, are key factors driving the assembly of phyllosphere microbial communities in deserts. This study provides new insights into species coexistence mechanisms in fragile habitats and enhances our understanding of plant–microbe interactions in global desert ecosystem. Keywords Phyllosphere microorganisms · Host plant taxonomic identity · Leaf functional traits · Host-microbe associations · Biodiversity · Ecosystem functions * Yuanming Zhang [zhangym@ms.xjb.ac.cn](zhangym@ms.xjb.ac.cn) 1 State Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China 2 Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation and Application in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China 3 Yili Botanical Garden, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Xinjiang Field Scientific Observation Research Station of Tianshan Wild Fruit Forest Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China 4 Institute of Sand Control, Xinjiang Academy of Forestry, Urumqi 830063, China Introduction The phyllosphere refers to the surface of the above-ground parts of plants, particularly the leaf surface, and constitutes a complex microenvironment [1]. The heterogeneity of this environment provides a niche for the coexistence of bacteria, fungi, and less common microbial groups such as archaea and nematodes [2] . Phyllosphere microorganisms engage in mutualistic relationships with their host plants, influencing their growth and func

FAQs

What is the main focus of the study on phyllosphere microbes?

The study evaluates how host plant phylogeny and leaf functional traits influence the composition and diversity of bacterial and fungal phyllosphere microbial communities in a temperate desert.

How many plant species and what environment were analyzed?

Communities were analyzed from the phyllosphere of 39 plant species in the Gurbantunggut Desert, a typical temperate desert in Central Asia.

Which plant attributes most strongly shaped microbial community assembly?

A hierarchical pattern showed plant phylogeny had the strongest effect, followed by leaf physicochemical properties, then leaf morphological characteristics.

Sep 30, 2026

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