This National Science Foundation Project Grant of $193,119 will fund research to advance understanding of soil fungal biodiversity patterns across North America. Leveraging two extensive DNA sequencing datasets from the National Ecological Observatory Network and Dimensions of Biodiversity Project on North American Soil Fungi, the University of Michigan team will apply novel modeling techniques to identify key environmental variables influencing fungal community composition and geographic distribution, and how these may be influenced by plant-fungi interactions. By integrating top-down, bottom-up and integrated modeling approaches, this research aims to overcome limitations of previous studies and lead to significant advances in forecasting fungal biogeography responses to environmental change. This award supports the Biological Sciences program's goal under the CFDA 47.074 to strengthen the biological sciences enterprise through increasing scientific knowledge of major problems confronting the nation.