Effect of Gene copy numbers of defense responses on seedling survival
The optimal model at species level showed that only gene copy number of defense response to insect influenced seedling survival rate with a negative effect (r =-0.28, P =0.002, Fig. 3A). The seedling survival rate at community level was best described by the model including gene copy number of defense response to fungus, insect and virus. The gene copy numbers of the defense response to fungus, insect and virus have significantly negative effects (fungus:r =-0.07, P =0.021; insect:r =-0.11, P <0.001; virus:r =-0.08, P =0.010) on seedling survival rate (Fig. 3B).