Mycorrhizal Fungi Hotspots
Recent studies reveal that over 90 per cent of mycorrhizal fungi hotspots lie outside protected areas. These fungi are crucial for nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration and plant health. Despite their importance, they have been largely ignored in climate and conservation policies. The Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) has created a digital atlas to map their global distribution. This effort aims to raise awareness and promote the inclusion of mycorrhizal fungi in environmental agendas.
Role of Mycorrhizal Fungi in Ecosystems
Mycorrhizal fungi live symbiotically with more than 80 per cent of plant species. They help plants absorb nutrients such as phosphorus from the soil. They also capture carbon dioxide released by plant roots, storing about 13 billion tonnes of CO2 annually. This amount equals roughly one-third of global fossil fuel emissions. These fungi support soil health, plant growth and ecosystem stability.
The Underground Atlas and Its Significance
SPUN’s Underground Atlas uses 25,000 geolocated soil samples and over 2.8 billion fungal DNA sequences from 130 countries. Machine learning predicts the richness and rarity of two main types of mycorrhizal fungi – ectomycorrhizal (EcM) and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM). The atlas produces high-resolution maps identifying global hotspots of fungal diversity and endemicity. These maps show major fungal reservoirs across savannas, tropical forests, boreal forests and temperate regions.
Global Distribution of Mycorrhizal Fungi
AM fungal hotspots occur mainly in the Brazilian Cerrado, Southeast Asian tropical forests and West African Guinean forests. EcM fungi are abundant in northern forests including Siberia, Canada, Western United States and Central Europe. These fungi form key components of forest ecosystems and contribute to carbon storage and nutrient cycling.
Conservation Gaps and Policy Needs
More than 90 per cent of mycorrhizal fungi hotspots are outside protected zones. This exposes them to threats from land use change and environmental degradation. Current conservation plans rarely consider soil biodiversity. There is an urgent need to integrate fungal diversity into climate action and biodiversity policies.
FAO Initiatives for Soil Biodiversity
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched the Global Soil Biodiversity Observatory (GLOBSOB) to monitor and protect soil life. GLOBSOB provides a tiered system for measuring soil chemical, biological and genetic properties. It supports global collaboration and policy design for soil conservation. FAO’s Global Soil Partnership further promotes soil health projects worldwide, linking soil biodiversity with food security and climate resilience.
Technological Advances in Soil Mapping
Modern techniques such as metagenomic sequencing improve understanding of soil microbial diversity. Combining large DNA datasets with machine learning enables precise mapping of fungal communities. This technology helps identify critical areas for conservation and restoration efforts.
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