Beneath each forest, grassland, and area lies an invisible world that quietly sustains life on Earth. This world is woven collectively by mycorrhizal fungi – that stay in symbiosis with plant roots. These fungi act like underground lifelines, delivering water and vitamins to crops, bettering soil well being, and even storing large quantities of carbon.
However till now, this underground world was nearly invisible.
The Society for the Safety of Underground Networks (SPUN) has now modified that by releasing the first-ever high-resolution map of Earth’s mycorrhizal biodiversity. The Underground Atlas makes use of over 2.8 billion fungal DNA sequences from soil samples collected in 130 nations to plot an in depth, 1 km² world map of underground fungal range. This unprecedented useful resource reveals the place the world’s richest fungal ecosystems are – and the way weak they’re to human exercise.
Click on wherever on the earth on the Underground Atlas and also you can view a prediction of the variety of mycorrhizal fungi species that may be discovered there. You’ll be able to choose to view a prediction of both Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungi or Ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungi.
By revealing the place underground fungal networks stay and thrive, the Underground Atlas brings the worldwide range of mycorrhizal fungi into view – and, it’s hoped, will assist us higher perceive and shield these important ecosystems in a time of dramatic local weather change.
