A fungal communities database associated with different mycorrhizal tropical tree-roots

Abstract: As the most biodiverse region in tropical rainforests, plant root endophytic fungi play an important role in ecosystem structure, function and stability. Mycorrhizal types of forest trees can affect the physical and chemical environment of rhizosphere soil by regulating root traits, thereby changing the structural characteristics of root endophytic fungal communities. However, currently there is no systematic dataset that demonstrates the regulatory mechanism of tropical tree mycorrhizal types on the endophytic fungal community within their roots. Therefore, this study aims to construct a comprehensive database by systematically integrating endophytic fungal community data from the root systems of trees across different successional stages in tropical forests, with a focus on the two most prevalent mycorrhizal types in nature: arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) and ectomycorrhiza (ECM).To provide basic data support for in-depth analysis and understanding of the functions of mycorrhizal types in tropical forests, underground symbiotic interaction networks, and the maintenance mechanisms of ecosystem functions. This study is based on the published literature and the data on endophytic fungi in the roots of tropical trees constructed by Hogan et al. Through systematic integration and standardized processing, a "database of endophytic fungal communities in the roots of tropical trees with different mycorrhizal types" was established. All root functional trait data were processed using the arithmetic mean method, while soil environmental data were weighted averaged based on the relative abundance of tree species. Other data were summarized by tree species identity and finally classified according to the mycorrhizal type. The entire data processing process underwent strict quality control procedures, including: verification of mycorrhizal types, standardization of data formats, and handling of outliers. This database contains a total of 5,969 standardized records, including the latin names of 66 woody plant species, mycorrhizal types (AM, ECM), 24 indicators related to root functional traits such as root length, root tissue density, and root volume, 13 indicators related to root tissue nutrients such as root carbon content, nitrogen content, and phosphorus content, and 7 indicators related to soil physical and chemical properties such as soil organic matter, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus, and the operational taxonomic unit (OTU) of endophytic fungi in the root system and the corresponding classification information. The establishment of this database provides a reliable data foundation and basis for analyzing the underground ecological interaction mechanisms of tropical forests, comparing the functions of mycorrhizal symbiosis, and supporting the formulation of regional forest protection and restoration strategies.