Introduced earlier this year, the ‘Underground Advocates’ initiative assists local scientists and communities in integrating their research into legal and policy frameworks, promoting the inclusion of fungal biodiversity in climate policies and conservation laws.
Ubiquitous
The programme adopts what Kiers calls a “decentralised science” approach, where information is gathered from the grassroots level rather than being dictated from the top down. Kiers explains, “The progress we’ve achieved in understanding these organisms is due to collaborating with scientists globally, who are mapping mycorrhizal fungi in their native environments and posing different questions than we might.”
Highlighting the importance of these fungi, she adds, “One of the significant realizations we aim to promote is that these fungi are foundational to resilient ecosystems, including agricultural ones, as they function like a pump,” referring to nutrient exchange between plants and fungi.
Mycorrhizal fungi enhance plants’ resistance to heavy metals and improve their water absorption. They also contribute to larger, sweeter flowers, benefiting pollinator populations. For millions of years, mycorrhizal fungi served as the root system for plants before plants developed their own roots, Kiers notes. “We want to raise awareness of their ubiquity and significance to protect them better,” she emphasizes.
Restoration
Kiers is enthusiastic about the potential to increase fungi protection as technological advancements provide new data, coinciding with growing awareness of mycorrhizal networks. Her team, for instance, can analyze DNA from soil samples collected by SPUN partners using machine-learning models to create predictive maps of organisms invisible to the naked eye.
“It’s a perfect storm. This data is becoming available, and as it does, decision-makers increasingly recognize the value of these networks and fungi,” she explains.
Kiers and her team have also received feedback from scientists and conservationists involved in restoration projects, noting that their efforts are not progressing as desired—mycorrhizae might be the missing link. “There is compelling evidence that native mycorrhizal fungi can improve restoration outcomes. People understand that using native plants is crucial during restoration, and now they’re realizing the importance of pairing them with native fungi,” she says. SPUN collaborates with restoration managers to develop toolkits demonstrating the use of native mycorrhizal strains.
System
However, as the understanding of fungi’s essential role in addressing climate challenges grows, so do threats to them. Land-use changes from deforestation and urbanization are significant pressures, according to Kiers. Additionally, the use of fungicides and fertilizers in agriculture poses another challenge, as plants with access to external nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus reduce the carbon they supply to fungal partners. “That’s a significant concern because it can lead to the system’s collapse,” Kiers warns. “These fungi form a physical framework in the soil, preventing erosion. Without them, soil can easily wash away.”
Diverse
Protecting mycorrhizal fungi requires tailored approaches depending on specific circumstances. For instance, some grassland fungi may be lost due to low grazing levels, while others may disappear with high grazing intensity, necessitating targeted management strategies.
“For mycorrhizal fungi, the top priority is protecting the native plants above ground. We need to ensure that the above-ground productivity is optimal so they can continue nourishing the networks below,” Kiers states.
Studying mycorrhizal networks has reshaped her perception of the world above ground. The symbiotic relationship between plants and fungi began approximately 450 million years ago, she notes. “Fungi initially facilitated the transition of aquatic plants to land, leading to the diverse ecosystems we see today, from rainforests to deserts to wetlands.”
Nodes
“One radical perspective is that fungi essentially cultivate plants to capture carbon. It’s fascinating to view the world this way because it deepens your appreciation for the subterranean dynamics,” she observes.
She continues, “Many people dismiss soil, but it’s where countless mysteries reside. How does it lead to such a vibrant array of life above ground? I believe that’s a crucial question as we approach 2026.”
Scientific exploration of mycorrhizal networks has rapidly advanced in recent years. Since Kiers delivered a TED talk in 2019 on fungi’s lessons for markets and economics, she has collaborated with researchers at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and the biophysics institute AMOLF to develop imaging robots capable of producing detailed maps of mycorrhizal networks.
“In 2019, we could only observe active flows. Now, we can map both the network and the flows, akin to a Google Maps for fungi. We can track half a million nodes simultaneously in these experiments to understand how fungi navigate and construct supply chains.”
Solutions
Kiers believes humans could learn a great deal from fungi’s trading principles. Their networks have been refined by natural selection over hundreds of millions of years, offering valuable insights into what causes plant–fungi partnerships to dissolve, the ideal size for trading partners, and the evolution of small local markets.
“We can observe these trade strategies as they develop and study the tipping points for relationship formations or breakdowns. My primary interest lies in comprehending fungi’s inner workings, as I suspect their trade systems are far more intricate than ours,” she says.
According to Kiers, the time for fungi has arrived. “Fungi enable us to rethink the world and provide entirely new approaches to the biodiversity and climate crisis. We’re overlooking critical biodiversity hotspots by focusing solely on surface-level ecosystems. Fungi offer a wealth of solutions for many challenges we face, and as more people grasp their importance, we must act swiftly to protect them.”
This Author
Catherine Early serves as the chief reporter for The Ecologist and is a freelance writer and editor specializing in environmental and sustainability topics.
For further information on Toby Kiers’ work, visit her website, and learn more about SPUN at their official site.
