The first environmental DNA-based inventory of soil fungal diversity in Ukraine - SSU-based occurrences

It is derived from 225 topsoil samples collected across accessible regions of Ukraine (June–November 2023), spanning five ecoregions including Carpathian montane forests, mixed forests, forest-steppe, and Pontic steppe habitats. Soil DNA was amplified using AM fungal-specific primers (WANDA/AML2) targeting the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene region, sequenced on an Illumina NextSeq 2000 platform, and resolved into Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) using DADA2 to achieve high taxonomic resolution appropriate for this functional group.

Occurrence records are provided for 8,946 ASVs belonging to Kingdom Fungi, alongside the original amplicon sequence reads. This dataset extends the area of Europe densely covered by soil eDNA sampling more than 800 km eastward and represents the first unified, national-scale characterization of AM fungal diversity in Ukraine. By adhering to contemporary biodiversity data standards, it supports advanced spatial analyses, diversity hotspot identification, and evidence-based planning for post-war ecological restoration.