Beneath our feet lies a fungal superhighway stretching 68 quadrillion miles
Researchers have created the first global map of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal networks, which span 68 quadrillion miles and support 70% of plant species. These underground networks are essential for nutrient exchange and carbon sequestration, and the new data will help identify biodiversity hotspots.
Why it matters
Understanding the scale and location of these fungal networks is vital for climate change mitigation and ecosystem conservation efforts.
Beneath the ground, vast networks of fungi quietly support plant life and play an important role in regulating the planet's climate by helping move carbon into soils. Now, researchers have created the first global maps showing where these underground fungal networks are found and how much of them exist worldwide.
The article provides scientific findings regarding environmental biology without political bias.
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