Privacy Policy
How information is handled on this site.
Dear scientists, because this site has been kept on a free, private base during the last years, and because of recent very large changes in the systematics and taxonomy of AM fungi, we cannot keep this page up to date any more and will shut it down soon (until end of 2024). The data may be outdated from the formal point of view.
Introduction
This Privacy Policy explains what information may be collected when you visit this site, how it is used, and what choices you have. The site is an information page about the phylogeny and taxonomy of AM fungi. It is run by scientists, not by a company, and it has no shop, no user accounts and no advertising.
We try to collect as little personal information as possible. Please read this page together with the Cookie Policy, which describes the small files your browser may store while you browse the site.
Information we may collect
Server log data
Like most websites, the hosting platform may record technical data when a page is requested. This can include your IP address, browser type, device type, the pages you visited and the date and time of the visit.
Contact form data
If you write to us through the contact page, we receive the details you type in: your name, email address, institution, the subject you choose and your message.
Data you send by email
If you contact us outside the form, we receive your email address and whatever you write in the message.
No sensitive data
We do not ask for, and do not want, sensitive personal data such as health information, financial details or identity documents.
How we use information
Contact details are used for one purpose only: to answer your question. Typical questions concern the name of an AM fungus, the placing of a species in a family, the meaning of an EP number, or the use of an alignment from our papers. We may also use a message to correct an error on the site, and in that case we will not publish your name unless you ask us to.
Technical log data is used to keep the site running, to see which pages are read, and to find and fix problems. We do not use it to identify individual visitors, and we do not build profiles of readers. If we ever wish to use information for a new purpose, we will only do so where it fits what you would reasonably expect from a scientific reference site, or where you have agreed.
Sharing of information
No sale
We do not sell, rent or trade personal information.
Hosting provider
The site is kept on a free hosting platform. This provider processes technical data on our behalf, under its own terms.
Scientific correspondence
When a question is best answered by a colleague, we may forward it with your consent.
Legal duties
We would disclose information only if the law required it.
External sites and files
Some pages mention resources that are held elsewhere, such as Index Fungorum, Species Fungorum, journal articles and files stored on cloud services. These are separate services with their own privacy rules. We do not control what they collect, so please read their policies if you use them. Opening a spreadsheet, a PDF of a species description or a journal article takes you to a different service, and from that moment its rules apply and not ours.
How long we keep information
Messages are kept only as long as they are needed to reply and to follow up on the question. Because this site is planned to close, any stored messages will be deleted when the site is shut down. Server logs are kept for the period set by the hosting provider.
We take reasonable care to protect the information we hold. No internet service can be fully secure, however, so please do not send confidential material through the contact form.
Your rights
Access
You may ask what information of yours we hold.
Correction
You may ask us to correct information that is wrong.
Deletion
You may ask us to delete your messages and contact details.
Objection
You may object to the use of your data and ask us to stop.
Children
The site is written for scientists and students. It is not aimed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Changes to this policy
Because the site is being wound down, this policy may change or the site may disappear without notice. The version shown here applies while the site is online. If you have a question about privacy, please use the contact page and mark the subject as other.