Metadata for a global atlas of soil microbial genetic resources

We compiled a global database of 1,609 soil metagenomes and found that hotspots exhibiting both high functional gene richness and dissimilarity are rare. Overall, fewer than 25% of hotspots of soil microbial genetic resources fell within designated protected areas. Meanwhile, global patterns of microbial gene richness and dissimilarity were largely decoupled from those in taxonomic biodiversity.