https://soilfun.org/, a web-based platform for soil-inhabiting <i>Ascomycota</i> species

Abstract

Soil covers a large area of the earth's crust and supports a high level of bio-diversity. This diversity is influenced by numerous geobiological variables, which impact soil fungal distribution worldwide. The taxonomy of soil-associated fungi has been investigated over the years using various approaches. To recover below-ground fungal species, researchers currently use culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches such as high-throughput techniques. As a result, a significant amount of taxonomic information is being generated and scattered throughout many publications. Most recent publications and databases of soil Ascomycota are derived from high-throughput techniques mainly focused on higher taxonomic ranks; however, information of the genera and species identified from soils are not conglomerated into a database. Therefore, the Soil Fungi website aims to create an online platform to compile the soil-associated fungal species with comprehensive taxonomic descriptions and continuously update them following the most recent classifications. The scattered information will be obtained from publications and conglomerated on the website where users have quick and user-friendly access. This paper introduces the https://soilfun.org/ website with its objectives and functions and provides a guideline for accessing and retrieving information. The website will serve as a central database of soil-associated fungal species, including their taxonomic descriptions and other relevant information. Users will be able to access and retrieve information from the website easily. The Soil Fungi website will be an essential tool for researchers, students, and other interested parties in soil mycology.