Exploring Endophytic Fungal Biodiversity in Different Coniferous Species
摘要
Conifers hold substantial economic and ecological value, forming extensive forest ecosystems across both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and representing the most speciose extant lineage within the gymnosperm group. The current taxonomic classification of conifers encompasses seven families—Araucariaceae, Cupressaceae, Pinaceae, Podocarpaceae, Sciadopityaceae, Cephalotaxaceae, and Taxaceae—comprising 72 genera and an estimated 702 species. Fungal endophytes, defined herein as fungi colonizing plant tissues without inducing overt pathology in the host organism, have been the subject of considerable research in coniferous species since their initial discovery. These investigations have largely focused on elucidating endophyte abundance, species diversity, and their responses to a range of environmental variables.