Fig. 2

Variation in leaf microbial community composition in European beech (Fagus sylvatica), depending on leaf position within the canopy, tree and date (A and B) and leaf decomposition stage (C and D). Dissimilarities among samples were estimated using a binary version of Jaccard distance and represented with PCoA plots. Plots A and C represent bacterial community dissimilarities. Plots B and D represent fungal community dissimilarities. In plots A and B, colors indicate within-canopy vertical and horizontal positions, shapes indicate the tree sampled and size indicate the date of sampling. Confidence ellipses (95%) are drawn around tree (T) for fungal communities. In plots C and D, colors indicate incubation times and shapes indicate leaf initial position within the canopy. All factors had significant effects on microbial composition (Tables 3 and 5 in Appendix)