Seedling

Demography

Biology

Botany

Quercus petraea

Sociology

Germination

Biological dispersal

Seed dispersal

Population

Canopy

Ecology

New Phytologist

Summary The tree seed mycobiome has received little attention despite its potential role in forest regeneration and health. The aim of the present study was to analyze the processes shaping the composition of seed fungal communities in natural forests as seeds transition from the mother plant to the ground for establishment. We used metabarcoding approaches and confocal microscopy to analyze the fungal communities of seeds collected in the canopy and on the ground in four natural populations of sessile oak ( Quercus petraea ). Ecological processes shaping the seed mycobiome were inferred using joint species distribution models. Fungi were present in seed internal tissues, including the embryo. The seed mycobiome differed among oak populations and trees within the same population. Its composition was largely influenced by the mother, with weak significant environmental influences. The models also revealed several probable interactions among fungal pathogens and mycoparasites. Our results demonstrate that mater...

Maternal effects shape the seed mycobiome in <i>Quercus petraea</i>

Maternal effects shape the seed mycobiome in Quercus petraea