Soil fungi sequencing in Andrews ForestGEO reference stands
This study investigates soil fungal communities along an environmental stress gradient in the central Cascade Range of Oregon, USA, examining both pathogenic and ectomycorrhizal fungi and their associations with forest tree communities. Using PacBio amplicon sequencing, we analyzed fungal communities across an elevational gradient to understand how environmental stress influences host-specificity in plant-fungal interactions. The research tests the novel Stress Gradient Feedback Hypothesis (SGFH), which examines how abiotic stress affects the relationship between tree community composition and fungal community structure. Sampling sites span from low-elevation nutrient-rich forests to high-elevation stands characterized by nutrient limitation and harsh microclimates. This sequence data provides insights into how environmental stress mediates the strength and specificity of plant-fungal interactions, with implications for forest ecology and management under climate change.