Microbial interactions and disease ecology in grassland ecosystems

Grassland ecology represents one of the most critical fields for understanding biodiversity maintenance, climate regulation, and sustainable land management. These ecosystems cover vast areas worldwide and play essential roles in carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, and food production. However, despite their significance, grasslands are increasingly threatened by degradation due to land-use change, overgrazing, and climate variability. Research to date has mainly emphasized insect pests, rodents, and invasive weeds, while plant diseases—particularly those affecting roots—remain understudied. Recent studies suggest that the belowground microbiome, including both pathogenic and mutualistic microorganisms, is central to determining plant health, resilience, and productivity. Yet, the ecological drivers, diversity, and epidemiology of plant diseases in grassland systems remain poorly characterized, leaving major gaps in understanding how plant health interacts with soil microbial networks and ecosystem functioning.This Research Topic aims to advance knowledge of grassland plant diseases by integrating perspectives from plant ecology, microbiology, and environmental science. Specifically, it seeks to identify and characterize the range of pathogens affecting grassland species, to elucidate spatial and temporal disease dynamics, and to uncover how environmental factors, soil conditions, and management practices influence disease prevalence and severity. A further aim is to explore how root rot, fungal infections, and other belowground diseases interact with soil and plant-associated microbiomes. By linking ecological patterns with microbial processes, this Research Topic will generate new insights into how diseases shape grassland productivity, resilience, and restoration potential across diverse ecosystems.The scope of this Research Topic encompasses both natural and managed grasslands, focusing on interactions between plant diseases, environmental gradients, and management interventions. To gather further insights into the ecology of grassland plant diseases, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Diversity, diagnosis, and distribution of pathogens affecting grassland plantso Stem, leaf, shoot, and root diseases in natural and managed grasslandso Root rot, root-invading fungi, and belowground disease dynamicso Disease epidemiology, seasonal and spatial patterns, and infection cycleso Environmental and climatic drivers of disease emergence and severityo Interactions between plant diseases and grassland soil/plant microbiomeso Effects of grazing, mowing, fertilization, and ecological restoration on disease dynamicso Disease impacts on grassland productivity, resilience, and ecosystem functioningo Interactions among plant diseases, herbivores, weeds, and other biotic stressorso Sustainable, integrated management strategies for grassland plant health Topic editors: Yan Zhong Li, Chunjie Li, Ze-Chun Yuan Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80738/microbial-interactions-and-disease-ecology-in-grassland-ecosystems