Researchers have published the first global atlas of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, revealing an underground network of microscopic hyphae that could stretch from Earth to the sun a billion times over. These fungi form symbiotic relationships with 70% of plant species, helping plants absorb nutrients and water while drawing carbon from plants and storing it in the soil as a critical carbon sink. The map, based on 16,000 soil core samples and machine learning models, estimates over 68 quadrillion miles of fungal hyphae in topsoil. However, the study warns that 90% of AM fungi biodiversity hotspots remain unprotected, with wild grasslands containing 40% of the biomass being converted to farmland. The authors argue fungi need to be included in climate and conservation strategies.
