Underground Explorers

KHDTK Universitas Tanjungpura — a 19,622-hectare protected forest in West Kalimantan — spans a rare edaphic gradient: ancient mixed Dipterocarpaceae forest on mineral soils transitioning into 14,700 hectares of ombrogenous peat swamp. Despite falling within two SPUN priority zones for AM fungal richness and EcM endemism, no mycorrhizal sequence data from this region exist in global databases.This project investigates how this mineral-to-peat transition shapes underground fungal communities. EcM fungi are predicted to peak in Dipterocarpaceae forest, while AMF diversity is expected to be higher in peat swamp forest, potentially favoring acid-tolerant taxa. The project will also examine how logging and peat fires alter fungal recovery trajectories. Using SPUN's standardized protocol, 32 composite soil samples will be metabarcoded via SPUN's sequencing partner, filling a critical data gap and contributing georeferenced data directly to SPUN's global maps.