Raw 16S rRNA (V4) and ITS2 reads from leaf endosphere, root endosphere, and rhizosphere samples of Festuca rubra and Lolium perenne
This study investigates how drought intensity interacts with warming and elevated CO2 to influence plant performance and associated microbial communities in temperate grassland ecosystems. Using a controlled soil-moisture gradient under current and future climate scenarios, we examined two widespread grass species with contrasting ecological strategies, the stress-tolerant Festuca rubra and the competitive Lolium perenne. We characterized plant biomass and functional traits alongside bacterial and fungal communities associated with the leaf endosphere, root endosphere, and rhizosphere using amplicon sequencing. The goal of this study is to assess species-specific and compartment-specific microbiome responses to drought and climate change and to improve understanding of plant-microbe interactions that contribute to grassland resilience under changing precipitation and climatic conditions.