Fungal Endophytes in the Sierra Nevada Foothills: Comparing and contrasting foliar fungal endophyte communities in blue oaks and interior live oaks Raw sequence reads
This study investigates the diversity and dynamics of foliar fungal endophyte communities in two co-occurring California oak species: Quercus douglasii (blue oak) and Quercus wislizeni (interior live oak). Leaves were sampled from 48 individual trees across two contrasting microhabitats: a dry, exposed ridge site and a shaded, mesic valley site. Sampling occurred at three time points during the growing season (May, July, and September), allowing for seasonal comparisons. High-throughput sequencing of the ITS1 rDNA region was used to profile endophytic fungal communities across all samples. This project provides a high-resolution dataset for exploring how host identity, habitat, and time interact to shape fungal endophyte assemblages. The data contribute to broader efforts to understand plant-microbe interactions in Mediterranean ecosystems and the ecological roles of foliar fungi.