FUNGAL SYMBIONTS Response to Comment on Global assessment of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus diversity reveals very low endemism

Bruns and Taylor argue that our finding of widespread distribution among Glomeromycota virtual taxa is undermined by the species definition applied. Although identifying appropriate species concepts and accessing taxonomically informative traits are challenges for microorganism biogeography, the virtual taxa represent a pragmatic classification that corresponds approximately to the species rank of classical Glomeromycota taxonomy, yet is applicable to environmental DNA.