Smriti Pehim Limbu

Abstract Knowledge regarding organismal traits supports a better understanding of the relationship between form and function and can be used to predict the consequences of environmental stressors on ecological and evolutionary processes. Most plants on Earth form symbioses with mycorrhizal fungi, but our ability to make trait-based inferences for these fungi is limited due to a lack of publicly available trait data.

Abstract Climate-driven variation in microbial traits is crucial for predicting ecological responses to environmental change, yet global patterns remain understudied. Using global datasets of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal observations linked to spore morphology, we show that climate gradients shape spore trait variation and functional diversity. Temperature and precipitation emerged as key drivers, influencing species range size and trait-environment relationships through trade-offs.