Plant-associated Research Articles

Association of Non-host Crop Plants with Mandarin in Host Location and Survival of Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae).

Research efforts have been made to develop novel tactics, such as those targeting behavioral control, for management of the Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), vector of the causal agent of citrus Huanglongbing. Here, we investigated whether association of "Ponkan" mandarin (Citrus reticulata) with volatiles from non-host crops: avocado, passion fruit or coffee, alters host location by the Asian citrus psyllid; and whether they can be temporary hosts for the Asian citrus psyllid. In wind tunnel assays, we found that the association of mandarin seedling with avocado plant volatiles reduced in 30% the number of psyllids sitting on host plants compared to the mandarin alone. In contrast, passion fruit plant volatiles facilitated host location by psyllids, which found mandarin seedlings faster than when exposed to mandarin alone. The association with coffee volatiles did not alter the attractiveness of mandarin to the Asian citrus psyllid. Survival and half-lethal time (LT50) of D. citri fed on non-host plants were longer than those insects with water only, but shorter than those fed on mandarin. Among the non-host plants, D. citri performed better in coffee, followed by avocado and passion fruit plants. Our results indicate that the association of mandarin with avocado plant can be beneficial for Asian citrus psyllid management.

Loan Operation in the Issues of Revisions of “Reliability of Capitals and Cashiers” of Mining Associations of State-Owned Mining Plants (second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries)

This article discusses some fragmentary known aspects of the history of mining partnerships – the first domestic institution created in addition to state pension guarantees for retired "free rural residents" of state-owned mining plants in the Caucasus, the Urals, Karelia and Eastern Siberia.
 When writing the article, materials from two Russian archives and, mainly, pre-revolutionary author's publications in the Mining Journal, the official publication of the Mining Scientific Committee, were used.
 The problematic characteristics of loan transactions are analyzed by the content of the identified facts of "neglect" and "damages" investigated during inspections of the activities of the Kusinsky, Zlatoust and Satka partnerships in 1881, 1877–1884 and 1911–1913, respectively. The indicators of financial and material "sustainability" of the system of partnerships as new formations of the post-reform era are given.
 For citation: Orlov P.A. Loan Operation in the Issues of Revisions of “Reliability of Capitals and Cashiers” of Mining Associations of State-Owned Mining Plants (second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries). From History and Culture of Peoples of the Middle Volga Region. 2023, vol.13, no.3, pp.46–59. https://doi.org/10.22378/2410-0765.2023-13-3.46-59 (In Russian)

Wakehurst's North American Prairie

SummaryThe theory behind the ecology and plant associations of prairie grasslands is summarised, and compared with conventional horticultural perennial planting.

An illustrated guide to the lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of the Indian Subcontinent. Part II. Tribe Chilocorini.

An illustrated guide to the lady beetles of the tribe Chilocorini (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Coccinellinae) of the Indian region is presented. Brief diagnostic accounts of six genera and 31 species are given with supporting illustrations of the diagnostic characters, including genitalia, wherever possible. Details of distribution, host insects / plant associations, and seasonal occurrences are provided for the first time based on extensive collections, label data and published literature. Chilocorus keralensis sp. n. is described from the Western Ghats, South India. Brumoides lineatus sensu Kapur 1967, recorded from the Andaman Islands, is found to be distinct from B. lineatus Weise 1885, and described and illustrated as B. andamanensis sp. n. Phaenochilus indicus Miyatake, 1970 and P. flaviceps Miyatake, 1970 are transferred to Chilocorus Leach (comb. n.) following the latest phylogenetic generic classification of Chilocorini. Three species, Chilocorus albomarginalis (Li & Wang), Chilocorus nigricaeruleus Li & Wang and Chilocorus yunlongensis Cao & Xiao, all originally described from China, are added to the Indian fauna of Chilocorini based on material examined from the north-eastern Indian states of Assam, Meghalaya, and Manipur, respectively. For nine species, illustrations of the life stages are included to facilitate their field identification. A key to the genera and an updated and revised checklist of the Chilocorini of the Indian subcontinent are also provided.

New plant communities to define the southern boundary of the European Atlantic Province in mainland Portugal

This study identifies and analyzes the plant communities that allow the definition of the geographic limits between Temperate and Mediterranean macrobioclimates, for the center of Portuguese mainland. The altitude of Serra da Estrela, Açor and Lousã, combined with the increase in atmospheric humidity, allows the presence of vegetation typical of a Temperate macrobioclimate. Thus, based on the phytosociological methodology, floristic relevés were carried out in order to identify the series of vegetation existing in these territories. Through these relevés carried out, four new plant associations were identified: Cytisetum grandifloro-striati ass. nova, Scrophulario grandiflorae-Sambucetum nigrae ass. nova, Pruno lusitanicae-Coryletum avellanae ass. nova that lives in the submediterranean bioclimatic variant, mesotemperate humid to hyper-humid. A new association namely Genisto falcatae-Quercetum broteroanae ass. nova with two subassociations were also identified. Based on the vegetation distribution, new biogeographic limits are proposed. Thus, it was intended to identify the southern limits of the European Atlantic Province (Atlantic Orolusitania Subrovince) based on the vegetation cover, namely the distinction between the Estrela Sierran District and a new Biogeographical District, the Alvo-Gardunhense.

Genomic mechanisms of plant growth-promoting bacteria in the production of leguminous crops.

Legumes are highly nutritious in proteins and are good food for humans and animals because of their nutritional values. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPR) are microbes dwelling in the rhizosphere soil of a plant contributing to the healthy status, growth promotion of crops, and preventing the invasion of diseases. Root exudates produced from the leguminous plants' roots can lure microbes to migrate to the rhizosphere region in other to carry out their potential activities which reveals the symbiotic association of the leguminous plant and the PGPR (rhizobia). To have a better cognition of the PGPR in the rhizosphere of leguminous plants, genomic analyses would be conducted employing various genomic sequences to observe the microbial community and their functions in the soil. Comparative genomic mechanism of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) was discussed in this review which reveals the activities including plant growth promotion, phosphate solubilization, production of hormones, and plant growth-promoting genes required for plant development. Progress in genomics to improve the collection of genotyping data was revealed in this review. Furthermore, the review also revealed the significance of plant breeding and other analyses involving transcriptomics in bioeconomy promotion. This technological innovation improves abundant yield and nutritional requirements of the crops in unfavorable environmental conditions.

Cohabitation Study of Tricolour Langur (Presbytis chrysomelas ssp. cruciger) and Proboscis Monkey (Nasalis larvatus) in Bukit Semujan Danau Sentarum National Park

The tricolour langur and proboscis monkey in Bukit Semujan cohabited and utilized the same resources. Cohabitation, mainly due to resource constraints, needed substantial attention to ensure the survival of these primates. This research aimed to map the utilization of canopy strata vertical forest structure and vegetation as food sources and identify the size and overlap of ecological niches for both primates. This research occurred in Danau Sentarurn National Park (DSNP) from July to December 2021. The data collection employed the ad libitum method. The results indicated that cohabitation occurred in the canopy strata vertical forest structure utilization, particularly stratum B and C, and was related to food availability for both primates. The Jaccard Index of the stratum utilization association was 0.6 for swamp forests and 0.8 for hillside forests, while the food plant association was 0.2. In addition, the ecological niche of the tricolour langur overlapped 48% against the proboscis monkey and 34% on the contrary. The tricolour langur's niche size (FT) was 0.32278 ≤ 0.5960 ≥ 0.81253, while the proboscis monkey was 0.20866 ≤ 0.52837 ≥ 0.78529 at 95% confidence interval.

COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE OF HYDROPHYTE COMMUNITIES IN DIFFERENT TYPES OF WATER BODIES IN THE CITY OF POLTAVA

The article highlights the results of studying the composition and structure of the true aquatic plant communities in different types of water bodies of the city of Poltava (artificial and natural reservoirs, the urban section of the middle River Vorskla), where, according to the ecological and floristic classification, 21 associations (including 8 subassociations) of eight alliances, three orders and two classes were identified. Of these, only association Ceratophylletum demersi is the most typical in urban area. The class POTAMETEA differs in the relatively higher coenotic diversity (13 associations), and the class LEMNETEA differs in the lower diversity (8 associations). 
 The studied plant associations are characterized by a low species richness, the absolute majority of them represents a simplified version of the original natural associations. Communities of class POTAMETEA, observed in urban reservoirs, are especially depleted (1–3 species in the descriptions). There is a general tendency to increase the coenotic activity of the floristic elements that are tolerant to anthropogenic load and eutrophication.
 In the rank of associations there are 18 communities in urban lentic water bodies and 9 communities on the urban section of the middle river. Most of the identified associations (12) are confined exclusively to urban reservoirs, while only 3 associations are specific to the urban section of the river. Of those 6 associations found both in urban reservoirs and in the urban section of the middle river, it is the river coenoses that are more diverse and better developed.
 In the conditions of an urbanized environment, the middle river ecosystems show a higher resistance to anthropogenic influence compared to ecosystems of artificial urban water bodies, which is evidenced, in particular, by a more complex coenotic structure of common associations, as well as the presence of sozologically valuable communities specifically in the river hydroecotopes.

A new weevil genus, Capelarinus gen. nov., with four new species from Cape Province, South Africa (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Lixinae)

A new weevil genus Capelarinus Gültekin & Lyal gen. nov. in the tribe Lixini (Curculionidae: Lixinae; Lixini) and four new species Capelarinus korotyaevi Gültekin & Lyal sp. nov., Capelarinus klassi Gültekin & Lyal sp. nov., Capelarinus colonnellii Gültekin & Lyal sp. nov. and Capelarinus marshalli Gültekin & Lyal sp. nov., are described from the Eastern and Western Cape Provinces, South Africa. The lectotype of Larinus lineatus Gyllenhal, 1835 is designated and the species is designated as type species of Capelarinus as Capelarinus lineatus (Gyllenhal) comb. nov. A key to the species and images showing distinctive morphological characters are presented. The only known host plant association is Cullumia reticulata (L.) Greuter, M.V.Agab. & Wagenitz (Asteraceae) which is an endemic South African plant and on the country’s red list.

Fostering in situ conservation of wild relatives of forage crops.

Most plant conservation strategies generally overlook the intra-specific genetic diversity of crop gene pools. Focusing on forage crops and their wild relatives, we present a novel approach to address the conservation of these species on meadows. Two-thirds of Swiss agricultural land is green land, mostly used for forage purposes, and their genetic diversity is being threatened. We focused here on eight plant associations gathering at least 18 taxa considered priority crop wild relatives of forage crops. Since 2020, about 1,217 high-quality surfaces (representing 1,566 hectares) nationwide have been integrated into an innovative auction-based policy instrument dedicated to conserving these populations. Here, we report the benefits and hurdles of implementing this bottom-up approach and try to estimate the quality of conservation of the forage plants' CWR gene pool. Although we focus on the Swiss case, our approach to in situ conservation offers opportunities to effectively guide conservation in other contexts. We also discuss possible ways to improve CWR conservation policy, particularly the need to better consider the populations and habitat levels.

DISPEL: database forascertaining the best medicinal plants to cure human diseases.

Medicinal plants are anticipated to be one of the most valuable resources for the remedial usage in the treatment of various ailments. The data on key medicinal plants and their therapeutic efficacy against various ailments are quite scattered and not available on a single platform. Moreover, currently there is no means/mechanism of finding the best medicinal plant(s) from numerous plants known to cure any disease. DISPEL (Diseases Plants Eliminate) is a compendium of medicinal plants available across the world that are used to cure infectious as well as non-infectious diseases in humans. The association of a medicinal plant with a disease it cures is hereby referred to as 'medicinal plant-disease cured' linkage. The DISPEL database hosts ∼60 000 'medicinal plant-disease cured' linkages encompassing ∼5500 medicinal plants and ∼1000 diseases. This platform provides interactive and detailed visualization of medicinal plants, diseases and their relations using comprehensible network graph representation. The user has the freedom to search the database by specifying the name of disease(s) as well as the scientific/common name(s) of plant. Each 'medicinal plant-disease cured' relation is scored based on the availability of any medicine/product derived from that medicinal plant, information about active compound(s), knowledge regarding the part of plant that is effective and number of distinct articles/books/websites confirming the effectiveness of the medicinal plant. The user can find the best plant(s) that can be used to cure any desired disease(s). The DISPEL database is the first step towards generating the 'most-effective' combination of plants to cure a disease since it delineates as well as ranks all the therapeutic medicinal plants for that disease. The combination of best medicinal plants can then be used to conduct clinical trials and thus pave the way for their use in clinics for treatment of diseases. Database URL https://compbio.iitr.ac.in/dispel.

The most polyphagous insect herbivore? Host plant associations of the Meadow spittlebug, Philaenus spumarius (L.).

A comprehensive list of all known host plant species utilised by the Meadow Spittlebug (Philaenus spumarius (L.)) is presented, compiled from published and unpublished sources. P. spumarius feeds on 1311 host plants in 631 genera and 117 families. This appears, by a large margin, to be the greatest number of host species exploited by any herbivorous insect. The Asteraceae (222 species) and Rosaceae (110) together account for 25% of all host species. The Fabaceae (76) and Poaceae (73), are nearly tied for third and fourth place and these four families, combined with the Lamiaceae (62), Apiaceae (50), Brassicaceae (43) and Caprifoliaceae (34), comprise about half of all host species. Hosts are concentrated among herbaceous dicots but range from ferns and grasses to shrubs and trees. Philaenus spumarius is an "extreme polyphage", which appears to have evolved from a monophage ancestor in the past 3.7 to 7.9 million years. It is also the primary European vector of the emerging plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa. Its vast host range suggests that it has the potential to spread X. fastidiosa among multiple hosts in any environment in which both the spittlebug and bacterium are present. Fully 47.9% of all known hosts were recorded in the Xylella-inspired BRIGIT citizen science P. spumarius host survey, including 358 hosts new to the documentary record, 27.3% of the 1311 total. This is a strong demonstration of the power of organized amateur observers to contribute to scientific knowledge.

COMPARATIVE MORPHOLOGICAL AND BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF INULA HELENIUM IN NATURAL CONDITIONS

Green mass and rhizomes of Inula helenium L. are valuable raw materials of great practical importance as a promising source of BAS (biologically active substances). An analysis of plants’ morphological and biological parameters in natural populations makes it possible to determine the yield and, when harvesting raw materials, focus on cenopopulations with an increased phytomass of inflorescences. Assessing the dynamics of the formation of the aboveground phytomass, indicators of photosynthetic activity, the productivity of the aboveground mass, and seed productivity of I. helenium under natural conditions also make it possible to determine the influence of abiotic and biotic environmental factors. The studies were carried out in the laboratory of the Department of Biotechnology and Standardization of the Faculty of Biotechnology of the FSBEI HE “Mountain State Agrarian University” in medium samples of I. helenium, selected in natural cenopopulations of the Republic of North Ossetia - Alania at altitudes of 615 - 847 m above sea level in the plant association of a cereal-forb meadow. In the course of the study, morphological and biological indicators were determined. The authors found that the weight of the rhizome with roots decreases along the vertical profile. Inula helenium in cenopopulations grow at different heights from 127 to 220 cm and form an average of 230-390 g of rhizomes with roots. Individuals of Inula helenium are characterised by the formation of 24 - 26 inflorescences on average on one shoot, each giving 625 - 1015 pcs seeds from 1 basket. The authors took samples of elecampane high close to the villages Surkh-Digora and Chikola North Ossetia - Alania. These samples are characterised by a high weight of 1000 seeds (1834.78 - 1923.24 mg) and a basket diameter (6.98 - 7.29 cm).

Association of mollusks and seagrass plants in Miang Besar Island, Kutai Timur Regency

This research to determine the level of associet between mollusks and seagrass plants on Miang Besar Island. this research was conducted in june 2020 using random non sampling method consisting of 12 sampling points. For the retrieval of seagrass and mollusk data using the method of transek squares measuring 1x1 m2. testing the association between 2 types using. Contingency table 2 x 2 to determine the association level between 2 species with the Jaccard index. The association between seagrass and mollusk species was analyzed into 3 groups. positive associations are 31 pairs, negative associations consist of 30 pairs and unrelated associations consist of 35 pairs.

Prospects for the Preservation of the Main Pinus sylvestris L. Ecotypes in Poland in the Context of the Habitat Conditions of Their Occurrence

This study investigates the prospects for preserving the main Pinus sylvestris L. (Scots pine) ecotypes in Poland, considering the habitat conditions of their occurrence. Scots pine is known for its wide distribution and natural adaptability to various habitats. However, there is an increasing vulnerability of pine forests to damage from biotic factors and a decrease in natural regeneration, particularly in areas under legal protection. Additionally, projected climate change has raised concerns about the future of Pinus sylvestris, placing it in the “losing” group of tree species. The aim of the study was to analyze the habitat conditions of the seven main selected Pinus sylvestris L. ecotypes to assess the sustainability of pine stands in their natural habitat conditions. Out of the seven populations of studied pine ecotypes, only one grows under conditions representing a typical form of pine forest (Leucobryo–Pinetum plant association). Two populations grow under conditions corresponding to potential deciduous forests (Galio sylvatici–Carpinetum and Calamagrostio arundinaceae–Quercetum petraeae). The remaining populations represent potentially mixed oak–pine forests. Such a distribution of plant communities, except for Leucobryo–Pinetum, does not guarantee the continuity of the studied pine stands as a result of their natural regeneration. Therefore, it is necessary to preserve the offspring of the studied populations outside their occurrence sites, but the studied pine stands should be preserved until their natural death in their natural habitats. In the conducted research, the NDVI turned out to be very useful, showing a high correlation with the trophicity of habitat expressed in the diversity of plant communities, as well as with the height and diameter of the studied stands.

Terrestrial nematodes from the Maritime Antarctic.

Soil nematodes are one of the most important terrestrial faunal groups in Antarctica, as they are a major component of soil micro-food webs. Despite their crucial role in soil processes, knowledge of their species diversity and distribution is still incomplete. Taxonomic studies of Antarctic nematodes are fragmented, which prevents assessment of the degree of endemicity and distribution of the species, as well as other aspects of biogeography. The present study is focused on the nematode fauna of one of the three Antarctic sub-regions, the Maritime Antarctic and summarises all findings published up to April 2023. A species list that includes 44 species, belonging to 21 genera, 16 families and eight orders is provided. A review of the literature on terrestrial nematodes inhabiting the Maritime Antarctic showed that the sites are unevenly studied. Three islands (Signy, King George and Livingston Islands) revealed highest species richness, probably due to the highest rates of research effort. Most species and four genera (Antarctenchus, Pararhyssocolpus, Amblydorylaimus and Enchodeloides) are endemic, proving that nematode fauna of the Maritime Antarctic is autochthonous and unique. Several groups of islands/sites have been revealed, based on their nematode fauna. The study showed that species with a limited distribution prevailed, while only two species (Plectusantarcticus and Coomansusgerlachei) have been found in more than 50% of the sites. Based on the literature data, details on species localities, microhabitat distribution, plant associations and availability of DNA sequences are provided.

Jumping to new hosts: the diversification of flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Alticini) in the context of their host plant associations

Abstract Flea beetles (Alticini) represent one of the most diverse groups within the family Chrysomelidae and are associated with more than 100 different plant families. Conspicuously, only 10 genera account for about a quarter of flea beetle diversity, whereas about 380 genera each comprise less than 10 species, indicating different rates of diversification within the Alticini. Here, we reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships of 608 species in 101 Alticini genera using mitogenomes and cytochrome oxidase I, and applied several frameworks of clade-specific diversification rate analyses. Increased diversification rates were consistently detected in the cosmopolitan genera Altica Goffroy, Longitarsus Berthold, and Phyllotreta Chevrolat, and in neotropical taxa of the subtribe Oedionychina. In addition, we tested whether the evolution of specialized interactions with plants of the order Brassicales influenced the diversification of Phyllotreta and Psylliodes Berthold flea beetles. Specialization on Brassicales was only associated with increased diversification rates in Phyllotreta but not in Psylliodes. Our results indicate that host associations per se do not explain different diversification rates and lay the groundwork for investigating the evolutionary drivers of rapid radiations in Alticini.

Influence of a Hydrocarbon Biodestructor on the Growth and Content of Phytohormones in Secale cereale L. Plants under Petroleum Pollution of the Soil

The phytoremediation of soil contaminated with petroleum depends on the association of plants with rhizosphere bacteria capable of promoting plant growth and destroying petroleum hydrocarbonates. In the present work, we studied the effects of “Lenoil” biological product containing bacteria Pseudomonas turukhanskensis IB 1.1, capable of destroying petroleum hydrocarbons on Secale cereale L plants, which previously proved to be resistant to the weak oil pollution of gray forest soil and to the composition of microorganisms in their rhizosphere. The composition of microorganisms in the rhizosphere of rye roots was studied, morphometric parameters of shoots and roots of rye plants were estimated, and hormone concentration was immunoassayed under conditions of 4% petroleum pollution of the soil. Addition of petroleum to the soil increased the content of oligonitrophilic (by 24%) and hydrocarbon-oxidizing (by 33%) microorganisms; however, the content of cellulolytic (by 12.5 times) microorganisms in the rhizosphere decreased. The use of Lenoil led to a further increase in the number of cellulolytic (by 5.6 times) and hydrocarbon-oxidizing (by 3.8 times) microorganisms and a decrease in the number of oligonitrophilic (by 22.7%) microorganisms in the rhizosphere. Under petroleum pollution, the content of auxins (IAA), zeatin riboside, zeatin nucleotide, and zeatin decreased, while the content of abscisic acid (ABA) increased in the shoots of rye plants. Lenoil treatment led to an eight-fold increase in the IAA content in the roots and a decrease in the ABA content in the aerial part and in the roots. It was shown for the first time that the treatment of petroleum-contaminated soil with “Lenoil” increased root mass due to the development of lateral roots, concurrent with high root IAA content. Petroleum pollution increased the deposition of lignin and suberin in the roots, which strengthened the apoplastic barrier and, thus, reduced the infiltration of toxic components. The deposition of suberin and lignin decreased under ”Lenoil” treatment, indicating a decrease in the concentration of toxic petroleum components in the soil degraded by the bacteria. Thus, the biological preparation reduced the growth-inhibiting effect of petroleum on rye plants by increasing the content of growth-stimulating phytohormones (IAA and cytokinins) and reducing the content of ABA, justifying the importance of further study of relevant hormones for the improvement of phytoremediation.

An illustrated guide to lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of the Indian Subcontinent. Part 1. Tribe Coccinellini.

An illustrated guide to the tribe Coccinellini (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Coccinellinae) of the Indian Subcontinent comprising 119 species of 30 genera is presented. Brief diagnostic accounts of the genera and the species included therein are given with supporting illustrations of diagnostic characters, including genitalia, wherever available. Details of distribution, prey and plant associations, and seasonal occurrence are provided based on collections, label data and literature. For 31 species, illustrations of the life stages are included to facilitate the field identification of the immature stages. Adalia puetzi Iablokoff-Khnzorian, 1986 is synonymized with Adalia simmondsi Kapur & Sudha Rao, 1962 (new synonym). Oenopia smetanai Canepari, 1997 is removed from synonymy with O. flavidbrunna Jing, 1986 and restored as a valid species (status revised). Illeis kapuri Anand, Gupta & Ghai is transferred to Ortalia Mulsant, 1850 (new combination). Two new species, Harmonia andamanensis sp. n. and Phrynocaria prathapani sp. n. are described and illustrated from the Andamans and the Western Ghats, respectively. Coelophora lushuiensis (Jing, 1992) is documented as a new record for India (Manipur). An updated checklist of the Coccinellini of the Indian Subcontinent is also provided.

Ecological signals of arctic plant-microbe associations are consistent across eDNA and vegetation surveys

Understanding how different taxa respond to abiotic characteristics of the environment is of key interest for understanding the assembly of communities. Yet, whether eDNA data will suffice to accurately capture environmental imprints has been the topic of some debate. In this study, we characterised patterns of species occurrences and co-occurrences in Zackenberg in northeast Greenland using environmental DNA. To explore the potential for extracting ecological signals from eDNA data alone, we compared two approaches (visual vegetation surveys and soil eDNA metabarcoding) to describing plant communities and their responses to abiotic conditions. We then examined plant associations with microbes using a joint species distribution model. We found that most (68%) of plant genera were detectable by both vegetation surveys and eDNA signatures. Species-specific occurrence data revealed how plants, bacteria and fungi responded to their abiotic environment – with plants, bacteria and fungi all responding similarly to soil moisture. Nonetheless, a large proportion of fungi decreased in occurrences with increasing soil temperature. Regarding biotic associations, the nature and proportion of the plant-microbe associations detected were consistent between plant data identified via vegetation surveys and eDNA. Of pairs of plants and microbe genera showing statistically supported associations (while accounting for joint responses to the environment), plants and bacteria mainly showed negative associations, whereas plants and fungi mainly showed positive associations. Ample ecological signals detected by both vegetation surveys and by eDNA-based methods and a general correspondence in biotic associations inferred by both methods, suggested that purely eDNA-based approaches constitute a promising and easily applicable tool for studying plant-soil microbial associations in the Arctic and elsewhere.