Bark Beetle Microbiome
Globally distributed fungus-farming ambrosia beetles may influence wood decomposition and carbon cycles by altering saprophytic fungal community assembly. However, the effects of ambrosia beetles in hardwood trees are largely unknown. We used a beetle exclosure experiment and multi-marker (ITS2 and LSU) DNA metabarcoding to quantify the effects of ambrosia beetles on fungal assembly in diverse angiosperm trees (Fagus grandifolia, Acer rubrum, Carya cordiformis, and Magnolia grandiflora) in Virginia, USA.