DOI: 10.5061/dryad.280gb5n2d
title: Data from: Tree-fungal interactions across climatic gradients: What is the potential for tree niche expansion via varying fungal associations?

description: Tree species persist across wide climatic gradients, potentially
 facilitated by varying species interactions. We investigated how tree
 species’ associations with fungal communities varied with climatic
 gradients across their range. We partnered with volunteers to
 sample tree roots across the eastern United States, with &gt;1000
 participants providing samples from 20 states. We characterized fungal
 communities via amplicon sequencing and tested how fungal guilds and
 individual taxa varied across climate gradients, as well as how fungal
 guilds and taxa correlated with seedling performance in a field experiment
 representing four climate conditions. Relative abundance of
 non-mycorrhizal endophytes (NME) increased in hotter and drier locations,
 guild-wide and for individual taxa. Relative abundance of ectomycorrhizal
 (EM) fungi declined in drier sites, while that of many individual EM fungi
 increased with colder temperatures. Seedling performance increased with
 greater relative abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and
 intermediate abundance of NME in hot, dry conditions, and individual NME
 taxa had, on average, positive correlations with seedling growth in these
 conditions. One of the NMEs, Cladosporium, emerged as a candidate taxon
 for niche expansion in Acer trees due to its increased abundance and
 positive association with seedling growth in hot, dry conditions in the
 field. Synthesis: Climatic niche breadth may reflect both
 intrinsic tree traits and varying relationships with microbes. NME
 represents an intriguing group whose impact on current and future tree
 ranges deserves further investigation.
description: Two datasets are available. The first is a geographic survey of
 root-associated fungal communities on roots of woody plants collected by
 volunteers acros the eastern United States, characterized by sequencing of
 the ITS2 gene region, along with metadata about collection sites
 determined by geographic position. The second is data on growth and
 survival of experimentally planted seedlings at two locations (central
 Illinois and northern Wisconsin), along with characterization of fungal
 taxa on the roots of surviving seedlings after three years of growth in
 the field.
description: This README_Allsup_etal_2025.txt file was generated on 07-03-2025 by
 Richard Lankau GENERAL INFORMATION Title of Dataset: Data from:
 Tree-fungal interactions across climatic gradients: what is the potential
 for tree niche expansion via varying fungal associations? Description of
 datasets These data include 1. data on fungal communities in root samples
 collected by volunteers throughout the eastern United States 2. climate
 metadata for the root sampling sites (two files) 3. data on seedling
 growth in seedling growth from experimental sites in northern Wisconsin
 and central Illinois 4. fungal community composition on tree seedling
 roots from the two field sites derived from sequencing of the fungal ITS2
 gene 5. metadata on the climate of microbial inocula sources for
 experimental seedlings 6. metadata on species traits for tree species used
 in field experiments **File 1 Name: FFP2015_2022_foranalysis.csv** File 1
 Description: Fungal communities on volunteer-collected root samples from
 across the eastern United States with metadata Variable: Description
 SampleID: Unique Sample ID code AnalysisYear: Year samples sequenced
 SampleYear: Year sample collected SampleNum  Sample ID (within Sample
 Year) sequence : unique code per sequenced sample seqID: original sampling
 code SiteYear: Location-Year combined code Site code : Abbreviated
 location code location: Geographic source latitude_exact  Latitude of
 precise sampling location, as recorded by collector longitude_exact:
 Longitude of precise sampling location, as recorded by collector
 Latitude_site: Latitude of site Longitude_site: Longitude of site
 TreeGenus: Host genus ID (summarized for analysis) TreeGenus2: Host genus
 ID (not summarized - don't use for analysis) TreeSpecies: Host
 species ID (if known) sSterilized Was the sample surface sterilized before
 analysis? UUS Region Arbitrary division of eastern states County: County
 of collection site (if known) SoilType: estimated Soil Order Elevation 
 Elevation of samthe pling site PrismTimeSeries: Years over which the
 following 7 climate variables were summarized AAverage precip: Average
 Precipitation (mm) of last 5 years Mintemp: Average Daily minimum
 temperature (degree C) of last 5 years MMean tempAverage Daily mean
 temperature (degrees C) of the last 5 Max tempaxemp : Average Daily
 maximum temperature (degree C) of the last 5 mean dewpoint tempnttemp :
 Average Daily dewtemperaturereature of last 5 years minVP : Average Annual
 minimum Vapor Pressure (kPa) Deficit of last 5 years maxVD : Average
 Annual maximum Vapor Pressure Deficit ofthe  last 5 years bo1 : Annual
 Mean Temperature bio1 : Mean Temperature of Warmest Quarter bio11 :Mean
 Temperature of Coldest Quarter bio12: Annual Precipitation bio1 :
 Precipitation of Wettest Month bio14 :Precipitation of Driest Month bio1 :
 Precipitation Seasonality (Coefficient of Variation) bio1 : Precipitation
 of Wettest Quarter bio17   Precipitation of Driest Quarter bio18 :
 Precipitation of Warmest Quarter bio19 : recipitation of Coldest Quarter
 bio2: Mean Diurnal Range (Mean of monthly (max temp - min temp)) bio3 :
 Isothermality (BIO2/BIO7) (* 100) bio4: Temperature Seasonality (standard
 deviation *100) bio5 : Max Temperature of Warmest Monh bio6 : Min
 Temperature of Coldest Month bio : Temperature Annual Range (BIO5-BIO6)
 bio : Mean Temperature of Wettest Quarter bio9   Mean Temperature of
 Driest Quarter soilut2 : Index of soil fertility soilo2 : Estimated Soil
 organic matter (kg/m3 of fire freqrefrq : Index of wildfire freqdep ndep :
 Estimate of total anthropogenic nitrogen deposition at the collection
 site, averaged over the fivebeforerior to sampling totseq : Total number
 of DNA molecules sequetotingtfung : Total number of DNA molecules
 identified in a fto planttplant : Total number of DNA molecules identifiin
 to a plant The remaining columns are individual fungal taxa, raw sequence
 counts Missing data Blank: blank entries signify missing data **File 2
 Name: FFP_5yearclim.csv** File 2 Description: Temperature and aridity data
 for collection sites based five-yearear averagbefore the to sampling date
 Variable : Description Site : Collection sisample yarear : Year root
 sample was collected SitYear : Combination of site and year Year : Mean
 the five yearspan annPET_5: Potential Evapotranspiration averaged over
 five yeannualnnual) annPT_5 : Annual precipitation averaged over five
 years MAT\_ : Mean annual temperature, averaged over five years Tmin_5 :
 Mnimum yearly temperature, averaged over five years Tmax5 : Maximum yearly
 temperaaveragedveraed over five years A_ann_5 : annual Aridity Index,
 ratio of annPPT/annPET, averaged over five years Site2 : Collection site
 year2: Year root sample was collected Numerical (2015-2022) suPET_5 :
 Potential Evapotranspiration oveSeptemberermber, averaged over five years
 sumPPTPrecipitationtoin over May-September, averaged over five year MST_5
 : Mean Summer Temperature (May-September), averaged over five years
 sumTmin_5  Minimum summer temperature (May-September), averaged over five
 years sumTmax5 : Maximum summer temperature (May-September), averaged over
 five years AI_sum5 : summer Aridity Index,the  ratio of sumPPT/sumPET,
 averaged over five years SitYear : Combination of site and year Missing
 data Blank: blank entries signify missing data **File 3 Name:
 FFP_siteyear_prism.csv** File 3 Description: Temperature and aridity data
 for collection sites for the year dirbeforeithe or to sampling date
 Variable Description Site : Collection sit year : Year root sample was
 collannet anPET : Potential Evapotranspiration (annual) of sampling
 apptnnPPT : Annual precipitation of sampling yer MAT : Mean annual
 temperature of sampling yea Tmin : Minimum yearly temperature of sampling
 yea Tmax : Maximum yearly temperature of sampling year A_ann : annual
 Aridity Index, ratio of annPPT/annPET of sampling year Sie2 : Collection
 site yea2 : Year root sample was collecteSumeetET : Potential
 Evapotranspiration oveSeptemberermber of sampling supportumPPT :
 Precipitatoin over May-September of sampling year MST : Mean Summer
 Temperature (May-September) of sampling year sumTmin : Minimum summer
 temperature (May-September) of sampling year sumTmax : Maximum summer
 temperature (May-September) of sampling year I_sum : summer Aridity Index,
 ratio of sumPPT/sumPET of sampling year SiteYear : Combination of site and
 year Missing data Blank: blank entries signify missing data **File 4 Name:
 CAREER_finalht.csv** File 4 Description: Final height and stem diameter
 data of tree seedlings in field experiments Variable Descriptin Site :
 Location of field site seedling_ID.1 : Unique ID for each seedling at a
 site seedlingID : Unique ID for each seedling including site information
 year : Year the seedling was planted soil : Source of the initial live
 soil inoculum for the seedling Sterile : Whether the initial inoculum was
 sterilized Fung : Whether the field plot was fungicide treated before
 planting deerfence : Whether the plot had a deer fence added (in year 3)
 deerfence_y1 : Whether the plant had a deer fence added when the seedling
 was planted block : Spatial block at the field site pair : ID for the
 paired ambient-rainfall reduced plots trt : Ambient (C) or rainfall
 reduced (R) treatment pos : Position within the individual plot tree :
 Alternative unique seedling ID, only used at one site genus : Genus of the
 tree seedling species : Species of the tree seedling speciesID : Species
 code pop : Population source for the seedling, only for A.negundo and Q.
 rubra final_sd : Final Stem Diameter (mm) of seedlings in their third
 growing season final_ht : Final Height (cm) of seedlings in their third
 growing season final_lvnum : Final number of live leaves of seedlings in
 their third growing season In_GL : Initial number of green leaves of
 seedling at planting In_Height : Initial height of seedling at planting
 In_Height2 : Initial height of seedling at planting, with missing data
 replaced with species average growth_ht : Growth rate (final - initial
 height)/initial height growth_ht2 : Growth rate (final - initial
 height2)/initial height2 Missing data codes: blank entries signify missing
 data **File 5 Name: Career_roots_fungi.csv** File 5 Description: Fungal
 community composition on tree seedling roots from field experiments
 Variable Description Year : Year the seedling was planted SequencingID :
 Unique name give to each PCR amplicon library SampleID : Unique ID for
 each seedling including site information cohort : Year the seedling was
 planted site : Location of field site species : Species of the tree
 seedling species_match : Whether dominant plant species in sequencing data
 matches intended species of the sample species_alt : if species match = N,
 the dominant species in sequencing data tree# : Alternative unique
 seedling ID, only used at one site seedlingcode : Alternative unique
 seedling ID, only used at one site seedling_ID : Unique ID for each
 seedling including site information Soil : Source of the initial live soil
 inoculum for the seedling Site_cohort : combination of site and planting
 cohort pair : ID for the paired ambient-rainfall reduced plots trt :
 Ambient (C) or rainfall reduced (R) treatment C or R pos : Position within
 the individual plot AM_k__Fungi.p__Glomeromycota.**.**.**.**._\_ Fungal
 taxon (guild, taxonomic string) sequence count Missing data codes: blank
 entries signify missing data **File 6 Name:
 career_site_climate_bycohort.csv** File 6 Description: Data on seedling
 growth in greenhouse experiments using soils from Illinois site Variable
 Description cohortyear : Year the seedling was planted Site : Location of
 experimental site State : State of the field location Site_cohort :
 Combination of site and cohort annPETtho_1 : Potential Evapotranspiration
 of the microbial source site for the year prior to soil collection
 (annnual) - Thornwaite approximation annPEThar_1 : Potential
 Evapotranspiration of the microbial source site for the year prior to soil
 collection (annnual) - Hargreaves approximation annPPT_1 : Annual
 precipitation of the microbial source site for the year prior to soil
 collection MAT_1 : Mean annual temperature of the microbial source site
 for the year prior to soil collection Tmin_1 : Mean temperature of the
 coldest month of the microbial source site for the year prior to soil
 collection Tmax_1 : Mean temperature of the warmest month of the microbial
 source site for the year prior to soil collection MWT_1 : Mean winter
 temperature of the microbial source site for the year prior to soil
 collection AItho_ann_1 : annual Aridity Index for the microbial source
 site for the season prior to soil collection AIhar_ann_1 : annual Aridity
 Index for the microbial source site for the season prior to soil
 collection sumPETtho_1 : Aridity Index for the growing season
 (May-September) for the microbial source site for the season prior to soil
 collection sumPEThar_1 : Aridity Index for the growing season
 (May-September) for the microbial source site for the season prior to soil
 collection sumPPT_1 : Precipitation over May-September for the microbial
 source site for the season prior to soil collection MST_1 : Mean summer
 temperature of the microbial source site for the year prior to soil
 collection AItho_sum_1 : Aridity Index for the growing season
 (May-September) for the microbial source site for the season prior to soil
 collection, Thornthwaite approximation AIhar_sum_1 : Aridity Index for the
 growing season (May-September) for the microbial source site for the
 season prior to soil collection, Hargreaves approximation annPETtho_5 :
 Potential Evapotranspiration averaged over five years (annnual) -
 Thornwaite approximation annPEThar_5 : Potential Evapotranspiration
 averaged over five years (annnual) - Hargreaves approximation annPPT_5 :
 Annual precipitation averaged over five years scaleTmin1 : Minimum yearly
 temperature, averaged over five years (scaled) scaleAIsum1 : AI_har_sum_1
 (scaled to mean = 0, SD = 1) MAT_5 : Mean annual temperature, averaged
 over five years Tmin_5 : Minimum yearly temperature, averaged over five
 years Tmax_5 : Maximum yearly temperature, averaed over five years
 AItho_ann_5 : annual Aridity Index, ratio of annPPT/annPET, averaged over
 five years,Thornthwaite approximation AIhar_ann_5 : annual Aridity Index,
 ratio of annPPT/annPET, averaged over five years, Hargreaves approximation
 sumPETtho_5 : Potential Evapotranspiration over May-Septermber, averaged
 over five years, Thornwaite approximation sumPEThar_5 : Potential
 Evapotranspiration over May-Septermber, averaged over five years,
 Hargreave approximation sumPPT_5 : Precipitation over May-September,
 averaged over five years MST_5 : Mean Summer Temperature (May-September),
 averaged over five years AItho_sum_5 : summer Aridity Index, ratio of
 sumPPT/sumPET, averaged over five years, Thornthwaite approximation
 AIhar_sum_5 : summer Aridity Index, ratio of sumPPT/sumPET, averaged over
 five years, Hargreaves approximation annPETtho_10 : Potential
 Evapotranspiration averaged over ten years (annnual) - Thornwaite
 approximation annPEThar_10 : Potential Evapotranspiration averaged over
 ten years (annnual) - Hargreaves approximation annPPT_10 : Annual
 precipitation averaged over ten years MAT_10 : Mean annual temperature,
 averaged over ten years Tmin_10 : Minimum yearly temperature, averaged
 over ten years Tmax_10 : Maximum yearly temperature, averaed over ten
 years AItho_ann_10 : annual Aridity Index, ratio of annPPT/annPET,
 averaged over ten years,Thornthwaite approximation AIhar_ann_10 : annual
 Aridity Index, ratio of annPPT/annPET, averaged over ten years, Hargreaves
 approximation sumPETtho_10 : Potential Evapotranspiration over
 May-Septermber, averaged over ten years, Thornwaite approximation
 sumPEThar_10 : Potential Evapotranspiration over May-Septermber, averaged
 over ten years, Hargreave approximation sumPPT_10 : Precipitation over
 May-September, averaged over ten years MST_10 : Mean Summer Temperature
 (May-September), averaged over ten years AItho_sum_10 : summer Aridity
 Index, ratio of sumPPT/sumPET, averaged over ten years, Thornthwaite
 approximation AIhar_sum_10 : summer Aridity Index, ratio of sumPPT/sumPET,
 averaged over ten years, Hargreaves approximation Missing data codes:
 blank entries signify missing data **File 7 Name:
 career_species_metadata.csv** File 7 Description: Fungal community
 composition on tree seedling roots from Wisconsin site Variable
 Description species : Species name myc : Mycorrhizal Type genus : Genus sp
 : Species name fia : Forest Inventory and Analysis species code Family :
 Taxonomic Family shadetolrank : Shade tolerance index seedsize : Average
 Seed size shadetol2 : Shade tolerance index droughtol : Drought tolerance
 index waterlogtol : Waterlogging tolerance index coldtol : Cold tolerance
 index avglatmin : Average minimun latitude of species range in FIA data
 avglat01 : Average 1% of latitude of species range in FIA data avglat05 :
 Average 5% of latitude of species range in FIA data avglat10 : Average 10%
 of latitude of species range in FIA data avglat05_IL : Average 5% of
 latitude of species range in FIA data for longitudinal bands in Illinois
 range_center : Latitude of range center range_center2 : Latitude of range
 center mintemp : Minimum temperature of species range maxtemp : Maximum
 temperature of species range minppm : Minimum precipitation of species
 range predabundchange : Predicted change in abundance distlong : distance
 of field site to species range center in longitude distlat : distance of
 field site to species range center in latitude sp_aridity_tho_ann :
 Aridity Index of species range (annual, Thorthwait approximation)
 sp_aridity_har_ann : Aridity Index of species range (annual, Hargreaves
 approximation) sp_aridity_tho_sum : Aridity Index of species range
 (summer, Thorthwait approximation) sp_aridity_sum_har : Aridity Index of
 species range (summer, Thorthwait approximation) sp_aridity_tho_sum2 :
 Aridity Index of species range (summer, Thorthwait approximation)
 sp_aridity_sum_har2 : Aridity Index of species range (summer, Thorthwait
 approximation) sp_ppt : Precipitation of species range center sp_tmean :
 Mean temperature of species range center sp_tmin : Minimum temperature of
 species range sp_tmax : Maximum temperature of species range sp_tmean_sum
 : Mean summer temperature of species range center sp_ppt_sum : Summer
 precipitation of species range center Missing data codes: blank entries
 signify missing data