Evolutionary significance of physiological relationships among yeast communities associated with trees

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Abstract
The physiological attributes of yeast communities associated with trees from one gymnosperm and nine angiosperm families were examined in comparison with contemporary classifications of the tree taxa. While the relationships between yeasts found in five coniferous genera (Pinaceae) did not show much congruence with chemotaxonomic or immunological classifications, a physiological classification of yeast communities from 19 genera of Angisoperms showed some compatibility with their respective assignments to families. Clustering of trees as yeast habitats at the family and higher levels indicated that the physiological profiles of yeast communities are to some degree correlated with the taxonomic position of the tree taxa as viewed by some authors. The yeast communities associated with certain tree families appeared nutritionally specialized as compared to others. This evolutionary specialization most likely operates by selection of physiologically limited yeasts, rather than by reduction of the number of yeast species in each community.