Plant virus community structuring is shaped by habitat heterogeneity and traits for host plant resource utilisation
The goal of the study is to test whether environmental heterogeneity among plant communities affects the structure of plant-virus interactions by connecting virus traits for host resource use to habitat heterogeneity. The approach adopted combines HTS, network and meta-community analyses to reveal the extent to which alterations in species balance caused by human activities relate to virus host range and mode of transmission. The two hypotheses tested are whether there is an association between: (i) habitat heterogeneity and virus community structuring; and (ii) virus community structuring and resource utilisation trait responses. With most viruses found, their usage of host plants was shaped by habitat specificity, key generalist viruses connecting different communities and likely host reservoirs. The virus trait response and virus species distribution relationship to habitat heterogeneity was more variable at larger than smaller spatial scales. Moreover, the prediction of virus trait responses to habitat heterogeneity is more certain at spatial scales smaller than the plant community level. The outcome of this study can be used to track trait responses to hosts likely to be important in forecasting disease emergence.