Fig. 2

Spatial variation in the root-associated bacterial community of apple trees linked to root section, tree individual and root quadrant. A Variation in alpha diversity presented based on the Shannon index in the L-compartment (left) and T-compartment (right) of four different trees. The different colours in the boxplots indicate different root sections according to their root diameter. B Variation in beta diversity presented based on constrained analysis of principle coordinates (CAP; using DEICODE distance matrices, constrained by the variables tree, root section and root quadrant) shown for the L-compartment (left) and T-compartment (right). Different colours were used for different root size sections and symbol shapes for the four individual trees sampled. C Statistical evaluation of differences in alpha and beta diversity in the L- and T-compartment. Effect sizes in beta diversity were assessed by PERMANOVA based on DEICODE distance matrices, while differences in Shannon diversity were analysed based on Linear Mixed-Effects Models (LMM)