title: Introducing BASE: the Biomes of Australian Soil Environments soil microbial diversity database.
abstract: Microbial inhabitants of soils are important to ecosystem and planetary functions, yet there are large gaps in our knowledge of their diversity and ecology. The 'Biomes of Australian Soil Environments' (BASE) project has generated a database of microbial diversity with associated metadata across extensive environmental gradients at continental scale. As the characterisation of microbes rapidly expands, the BASE database provides an evolving platform for interrogating and integrating microbial diversity and function.
  
  
  
  BASE currently provides amplicon sequences and associated contextual data for over 900 sites encompassing all Australian states and territories, a wide variety of bioregions, vegetation and land-use types. Amplicons target bacteria, archaea and general and fungal-specific eukaryotes. The growing database will soon include metagenomics data. Data are provided in both raw sequence (FASTQ) and analysed OTU table formats and are accessed via the project's data portal, which provides a user-friendly search tool to quickly identify samples of interest. Processed data can be visually interrogated and intersected with other Australian diversity and environmental data using tools developed by the 'Atlas of Living Australia'.
  
  
  
  Developed within an open data framework, the BASE project is the first Australian soil microbial diversity database. The database will grow and link to other global efforts to explore microbial, plant, animal, and marine biodiversity. Its design and open access nature ensures that BASE will evolve as a valuable tool for documenting an often overlooked component of biodiversity and the many microbe-driven processes that are essential to sustain soil function and ecosystem services.
authors.affiliation: CSIRO, Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bissett
authors.affiliation: Bioplatforms Australia, Sydney, New South Wales Australia.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: Leon
authors.lastname: Court
authors.affiliation: Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia Australia.
authors.forename: Thys
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Meintjes
authors.affiliation: Victorian Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources and La Trobe University, Agribio Centre, Bundoora, Victoria 3083 Australia.
authors.forename: Pauline M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Mele
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Land and Water, Adelaide, South Australia Australia ; School of Biological Sciences and the Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, North Terrace Adelaide, South Australia 5005 Australia.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Reith
authors.affiliation: School of Agriculture and Food Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072 Australia.
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Dennis
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences and the Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, North Terrace Adelaide, South Australia 5005 Australia.
authors.forename: Martin F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Breed
authors.affiliation: Parks Australia, Department of the Environment, Canberra, ACT 2601 Australia.
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales 2052 Australia.
authors.forename: Mark V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800 Australia.
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brugger
authors.affiliation: Science and Conservation Division, Department of Parks and Wildlife, Perth, Western Australia Australia.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences and the Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, North Terrace Adelaide, South Australia 5005 Australia.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caddy-Retalic
authors.affiliation: DEDJTR Rutherglen, Melbourne, Victoria Australia.
authors.forename: Bernie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Carmody
authors.affiliation: Science and Conservation Division, Department of Parks and Wildlife, Perth, Western Australia Australia.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Coates
authors.affiliation: Ramaciotti Centre for Genomics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales Australia.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Correa
authors.affiliation: School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052 Australia.
authors.forename: Belinda C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Agriculture, Adelaide, South Australia 5064 Australia.
authors.forename: Vadakattu V S R
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: CSIRO, National Research Collections Australia, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia ; Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales Australia.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hamonts
authors.affiliation: Australian Genome Research Facility Ltd, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria Australia.
authors.forename: Asha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haslem
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072 Australia ; Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072 Australia.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hugenholtz
authors.affiliation: Australian SuperSite Network, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland Australia.
authors.forename: Mirko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karan
authors.affiliation: Ramaciotti Centre for Genomics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales Australia.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koval
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences and the Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, North Terrace Adelaide, South Australia 5005 Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.affiliation: University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania Australia.
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Macdonald
authors.affiliation: Australian Genome Research Facility Ltd, Adelaide, South Australia Australia.
authors.forename: Leanne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McGrath
authors.affiliation: Atlas of Living Australia, CSIRO, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Land and Water, Canberra, ACT Australia.
authors.forename: Matt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.affiliation: Ramaciotti Centre for Genomics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales Australia.
authors.forename: Kristin I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: North
authors.affiliation: School of Agriculture and Food Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072 Australia.
authors.forename: Chanyarat
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paungfoo-Lonhienne
authors.affiliation: Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales Australia.
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pendall
authors.affiliation: DEDJTR Rutherglen, Melbourne, Victoria Australia ; Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, Science and Technology branch, 2585 County Road 20, Harrow, ON N0R 1G0 Canada.
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.affiliation: Atlas of Living Australia, CSIRO, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pirzl
authors.affiliation: Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales Australia.
authors.forename: Jeff R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.affiliation: Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072 Australia.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ragan
authors.affiliation: School of Agriculture and Food Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072 Australia.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Brisbane, Queensland Australia.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Seymour
authors.affiliation: Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, 203 Channel Highway, Kingston, Tasmania 7050 Australia.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Snape
authors.affiliation: Australian Genome Research Facility Ltd, Adelaide, South Australia Australia.
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Stephen
authors.affiliation: Australian Genome Research Facility Ltd, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria Australia.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.affiliation: Australian Genome Research Facility Ltd, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria Australia.
authors.forename: Matt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tinning
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Land and Water, Canberra, ACT Australia.
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072 Australia ; Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072 Australia.
authors.forename: Yun Kit
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Yeoh
authors.affiliation: University of Queensland, Earth Sciences, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4072 Australia.
authors.forename: Carla M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Zammit
authors.affiliation: CSIRO, National Research Collections Australia, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D001105:Archaea / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D001315:Australia; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D044822:Biodiversity; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005658:Fungi / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D056186:Metagenomics; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods*; D012988:Soil Microbiology
keywords: Australia; Database; Metagenomics; Microbial diversity; Microbial ecology; Microbiology; Soil biology