The project to map the world’s fungal networks – and why it matters

Fungal networks are the circulatory systems of our planet. Trees are the lungs. These underground networks – which extend an estimated trillions of miles around Earth – are largely unexplored, yet may prove essential to our efforts to protect soil. 

They not only sequester large amounts of carbon but also shift nutrients across ecosystems, which is crucial for soil health and fertility. Many hotspots for mycorrhizal mushrooms are now at risk: these include pollution, agricultural expansion, urbanisation, and deforestation. 

A new project has emerged from the global Society for the Protection of Underground Networks(SPUN), will have approximately 10,000 samples taken from around the globe. AI technology is being used to identify key areas, such as the western Sahara and steppes of Kazakhstan. 

The findings will enable you to visualise the flow of nutrients within networks and help you to identify high-priority locations that have the potential to store more carbon or withstand extreme climate events. 

Toby Kiers, professor of evolutionary biology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam – who co-founded the project alongside fellow scientist Colin Averill – describes the relative lack of knowledge to date as a “global blind spot”. 

“Globally, the total length of fungal mycelium in the top 10cm of soil is more than 450 quadrillion km: about half the width of our galaxy,” Kiers says. “These symbiotic networks comprise an ancient life-support system that easily qualifies as one of the wonders of the living world.” 

Merlin Sheldrake, biologist and author of the book Entangled Life, says that mycorrhizal fungal networks and the nutrient flows and processes they manage should be considered a global public good, “analogous to clean air and water”. 

He is assisting Jane Goodall, the conservationist, in guiding the project. 

SPUN will be conducting its first sampling mission with the US-based Fungi Foundation. SPUN will partner with activists, researchers, and local communities to collect samples and manage underground ecosystems.

Mycorrhizal fungal systems have long sustained life on the planet. It’s time that they received the attention they deserve

The project is possible thanks to a $3.5m (£2.6m) donation from Jeremy Grantham, a billionaire financier and climate research funder. 

Adds Kiers: “Mycorrhizal fungal networks have long sustained and enriched life on our planet. It’s time that they received the attention they deserve.”

Main image: Christoph Hetzmannseder/Getty