Gradients in species diversity across elevations and latitudes have fascinated biologists for decades. While these gradients have been well documented for macroorganisms, there is limited consensus about their universality, shape and drivers for microorganisms, such as fungi, despite the importance of fungal diversity for ecosystem functions and services. We conducted a comprehensive survey of fungal species richness in forests across 17 elevational transects along a latitudinal gradient covering the continental scale of Europe. Diversity patterns along elevational and latitudinal gradients differed among fungal ecological guilds. Diversity of saprotrophs declined with elevation while ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal diversity peaked in mid-elevations. Moreover, the diversity of root endophytic fungi increased with latitude but did not change with elevation. Bayesian species distribution modeling suggests that fungal diversity is structured by deterministic rather than stochastic drivers. Importantly, ECM fungal diversity pattern persists even after accounting for the effects of environmental conditions. These results suggest that environmental conditions differentially shape the diversity of fungal guilds along elevational and latitudinal gradients, but this goes beyond soil and climatic factors in the case of ECM fungi. This study paves the way toward a better understanding of fungal diversity gradients across elevations and latitudes, with possible implications for macroecological theory, conservation and management.

Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia Bistrik 7 71000 Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina

Biotechnical Faculty University of Montenegro Mihaila Lalića 15 81000 Podgorica Montenegro

Department for Forest Physiology and Genetics Slovenian Forestry Institute Večna pot 2 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia

Department of Biosciences University of Oslo PO Box 1066 Blindern 0316 Oslo Norway

Faculty of Forestry University of Sarajevo Zagrebačka 20 71000 Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina

Faculty of Science Charles University Albertov 6 Prague 128 40 Czechia

Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Videnska 1083 Prague 142 20 Czechia

Nationalpark Harz Außenstelle Oderhaus Oderhaus 1 37444 Sankt Andreasberg Germany

Norwegian College of Fishery Science UiT The Arctic University of Norway PO Box 6050 Langnes N 9037 Tromsø Norway

Plant Pathology Unit INRAE 67 allée des chênes 84143 Montfavet France

Vitosha Nature Park 17 'Antim I' Str 1303 Sofia Bulgaria

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