Fungal biogeography. Global diversity and geography of soil fungi

Fungi play major roles in ecosystem processes, but the determinants of fungal diversity and biogeographic patterns remain poorly understood. Using DNA metabarcoding data from hundreds of globally distributed soil samples, we demonstrate that fungal richness is decoupled from plant diversity. The pla...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2014-11, Vol.346 (6213), p.1256688-1256688
Main Authors: Tedersoo, Leho, Bahram, Mohammad, Põlme, Sergei, Kõljalg, Urmas, Yorou, Nourou S, Wijesundera, Ravi, Villarreal Ruiz, Luis, Vasco-Palacios, Aída M, Thu, Pham Quang, Suija, Ave, Smith, Matthew E, Sharp, Cathy, Saluveer, Erki, Saitta, Alessandro, Rosas, Miguel, Riit, Taavi, Ratkowsky, David, Pritsch, Karin, Põldmaa, Kadri, Piepenbring, Meike, Phosri, Cherdchai, Peterson, Marko, Parts, Kaarin, Pärtel, Kadri, Otsing, Eveli, Nouhra, Eduardo, Njouonkou, André L, Nilsson, R Henrik, Morgado, Luis N, Mayor, Jordan, May, Tom W, Majuakim, Luiza, Lodge, D Jean, Lee, Su See, Larsson, Karl-Henrik, Kohout, Petr, Hosaka, Kentaro, Hiiesalu, Indrek, Henkel, Terry W, Harend, Helery, Guo, Liang-dong, Greslebin, Alina, Grelet, Gwen, Geml, Jozsef, Gates, Genevieve, Dunstan, William, Dunk, Chris, Drenkhan, Rein, Dearnaley, John, De Kesel, André, Dang, Tan, Chen, Xin, Buegger, Franz, Brearley, Francis Q, Bonito, Gregory, Anslan, Sten, Abell, Sandra, Abarenkov, Kessy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic
Forests
Fungi - classification
Fungi - genetics
Fungi - physiology
Geography
Grassland
Soil
Soil Microbiology
Tundra
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Summary:Fungi play major roles in ecosystem processes, but the determinants of fungal diversity and biogeographic patterns remain poorly understood. Using DNA metabarcoding data from hundreds of globally distributed soil samples, we demonstrate that fungal richness is decoupled from plant diversity. The plant-to-fungus richness ratio declines exponentially toward the poles. Climatic factors, followed by edaphic and spatial variables, constitute the best predictors of fungal richness and community composition at the global scale. Fungi show similar latitudinal diversity gradients to other organisms, with several notable exceptions. These findings advance our understanding of global fungal diversity patterns and permit integration of fungi into a general macroecological framework.
ISSN:1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1256688