Data from: Population genomics of a rare and a common wood-inhabiting fungal species across Europe

Many species have become threatened during the Anthropocene, requiring
conservation strategies based on biological evidence. Wood-inhabiting
fungi face multiple threats due to a complex interplay of a short
lifespan, removal of dead wood as a resource, and climate change.
Furthermore, rare fruiting events might restrict dispersal via spores,
leading to significant population genetic structure. Yet, little is known
about the genetic structure of both rare and common wood-inhabiting fungal
species across Europe. Here, we investigate the rare polypore fungus
Antrodiella citrinella, which co-occurs with the common wood-decay fungus
Fomitopsis pinicola. We analyzed a total of 149 individuals of both
species across 13 countries, sequenced their genomes, and analyzed
single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Based on a broad set of analyses, we
found a very weak population structure in A. citrinella, suggesting
historically wide dispersal and effective gene flow across Europe. In
contrast, we found support for two moderately differentiated populations
following a southwest-northeast separation in F. pinicola, possibly due to
dispersal limitation through its relatively larger spores, a more intense
forest use history in southern Europe, and a post-glacial history of
co-immigration with the main host tree species, Norway spruce. While the
weak to moderate genetic structure of wood-inhabiting fungi suggests
historically sufficient habitat connectivity, conservation measures should
consider strategies providing deadwood as an important habitat to restore
and maintain connectivity throughout Europe.