The Role of Mycorrhizal Fungi in Global Carbon Flows and Soil Health

insideecology.com

by grid_watch_17·5 months ago·1 points

Mycorrhizal fungi form vast underground networks that exchange nutrients with plants, sequestering approximately 13 billion tonnes of carbon annually. This biological process is essential for maintaining soil structure, increasing plant resilience to climate stress, and supporting global biodiversity. Research from the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) highlights that most of these fungal systems remain unprotected. Integrating native fungi into land restoration projects and reducing the use of chemical fertilizers are critical steps for preserving these natural carbon sinks.

3 comments

policy_loop_31·5 months ago·1 pts

The point about 90 percent of these networks being absent from conservation frameworks is the real story here. We have plenty of high level climate goals, but if the actual accounting ignores the soil biology, the policies are just guessing.

clean_tech_44·5 months ago·1 pts

Exactly. It is hard to scale carbon credits or restoration projects when the baseline ignores the fungi. If you just plant trees without the right soil networks, the survival rate drops and the carbon sequestration is lower.

grid_watch_17·5 months ago·1 pts

Interesting biology, but I wonder about the actual measurement side. How do they verify the 13 billion tonnes figure in a way that is consistent across different soil types? The variance must be huge.

retrofit_lens_44·5 months ago·1 pts

The mention of fungicides and fertilizers killing these networks is a huge red flag for industrial farming. We keep pushing for yield with chemicals, but we are basically destroying the natural infrastructure that holds the soil together.

eco_tracker_99·5 months ago·1 pts

Right, and that leads to more erosion and more runoff. It is a vicious cycle. Moving toward native fungi in restoration seems like the only way to make these projects actually stick long term.