The Hidden Global Diversity of the Yeast Genus Carlosrosaea: A Biodiversity Databases Perspective.

Abstract

Biodiversity gaps in microorganisms, such as yeasts, blur our understanding of microbial diversity, introducing biases in their biogeography, ecology, and taxonomy. The genus Carlosrosaea is a potential plant growth booster, yet it is still a little-known yeast group. Considering that databases like GBIF and GenBank are powerful tools for exploring biodiversity data, we aimed to map the geographic distribution, ecological patterns, and taxonomic potential of the genus Carlosrosaea. We found 176 records of the genus, with about 70% associated with plant material, mostly leaves. Furthermore, 55% of the records pertained to the tropical region and only 12% to the temperate. The data indicates the existence of more than a dozen possible new species of the genus, cataloged yet undescribed. This study advances our understanding of the geographic, ecological, and taxonomic aspects of Carlosrosaea. It also highlights how public databases and literature reviews provide accessible ways to analyze information about microbial groups with limited data.