Plant microbiomes feel the heat.

Rising global temperatures—a key component of climate change—are reshaping biodiversity, yet their effects on the plant microbiome remain poorly understood. This microbiome, composed of diverse bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms, forms dynamic communities in aboveand belowground plant tissues and surrounding soil. Microbes influence plant growth and resilience through interactions that range from beneficial (e.g., nutrient provisioning) to antagonistic (e.g., disease causing). Microbial communities are affected by their plant hosts as well as microbe-microbe interactions and environmental conditions. These factors often interact in dynamic ways, making it challenging to disentangle their individual contributions, including the confounding effects of drought and temperature-induced stress—the two major features of climate change that profoundly influence plants. Understanding the roles of biotic and abiotic factors in shaping microbiome-mediated plant performance is vital for predicting ecological change and maintaining ecosystem functions in the face of rising temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]