Divergent Response of Two Bark Beetle-Fungal Symbiotic Systems to Host Monoterpenes Reflects Niche Partitioning Strategies.

The successful establishment of bark beetle-fungus symbionts on plants is required to overcome host defenses. However, little is known about how different bark beetle-fungus symbionts adapt to different niches on the same host plant. Here, we investigated the niche partitioning mechanism of two co-occurring bark beetle-fungus symbiotic systems, Ips nitidus-Ophiostoma bicolor and Dendroctonus micans-Endoconidiophora laricicola, on Qinghai spruce (Picea crassifolia) tree.