Environmental DNA Reveals Fungal Community Shifts in Cherul Forest Reserve, Terengganu

This project investigates the diversity and structure of soil fungal communities in the Cherul Forest Reserve, Terengganu, Malaysia, using high-throughput sequencing of environmental DNA (eDNA). Soil samples were collected from forest sites representing different disturbance histories, including virgin forest, regeneration forest, and selectively logged forest. By targeting the fungal ITS region, this study aims to assess changes in fungal species richness, functional guild composition, and community structure in relation to varying levels of anthropogenic disturbance. The resulting data provide insights into the ecological impacts of logging on below-ground biodiversity in tropical forest ecosystems and contribute to broader efforts in forest conservation, microbial ecology, and sustainable land management.