Abstract: A method of increasing organic carbon in a soil is disclosed. The method includes inoculating the soil and/or a plant growing in the soil with one or more fungal strains wherein the one or more fungal strains has a nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) sequence that is at least 90% identical to the nucleotide sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 1-11, wherein the one or more fungal strains are in an amount effective to increase organic carbon in the soil compared to a non-inoculated control soil. Also disclosed is a method of enhancing plant growth, comprising applying to a plant, a plant part, or the locus surrounding the plant with one or more fungal strains in an amount effective to enhance the growth of the plant as compared to an untreated control plant.