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Phytochemical diversity, endemism and their adaptations to abiotic and biotic pressures in fine roots across a climatic gradient
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  • Yazhou Zhang,
  • Samantha J. Worthy,
  • Shijia Xu,
  • Yunyun He,
  • xuezhao Wang,
  • Xiaoyang Song,
  • Min Cao,
  • Jie Yang
Yazhou Zhang
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden
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Samantha J. Worthy
University of California Davis
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Shijia Xu
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden
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Yunyun He
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden
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xuezhao Wang
Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Xiaoyang Song
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden
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Min Cao
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden
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Jie Yang
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Abstract

Phytochemicals are greatly ignored in trait-based ecology. Especially, the adaptations of phytochemicals to abiotic and biotic pressures in the rhizosphere are less understood. Here, we measured the metabolomics of fine roots and their rhizosphere microbiome along a climatic gradient (tropical, subtropical, and subalpine forests), to explore phytochemical diversity patterns and phytochemical-microorganism interactions. We found that high phytochemical diversity but low phytochemical endemism in subalpine species favor coping with high abiotic pressures. High phytochemical variation and phytochemical endemism in tropical species favor greater species coexistence and adaptation to complex biotic pressures. Moreover, there was evidence of widespread chemical niche partitioning of closely related species in all regions. Our findings support the Latitudinal Biotic Interaction Hypothesis, i.e., the intensity of phytochemical-microorganism interactions decreases from tropical to subalpine regions, which promotes greater multi-trophic coexistence in the tropics than in higher latitude forests. Our study provides novel insights into biotic interactions and species coexistence.