SPUN Atlas Highlights Gaps in Mycorrhizal Fungi Conservation | 30 Jul 2025

Source: DTE 

The Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) has launched the Underground Atlas, which shows that over 90% of mycorrhizal fungi hotspots lie outside protected areas, despite their key role in nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration. 

• Role in Ecosystem: Mycorrhizal fungi form symbiotic relationships with over 80% of plants, aiding nutrient absorption like phosphorus and playing a key role in carbon sequestration by utilizing CO2 from plant roots.  
  • They store around 13 billion tonnes of CO2 annually, or one-third of global fossil fuel emissions. 
• Types of Mycorrhizal fungi: 
  • AM (Arbuscular Mycorrhizal) fungi: They penetrate root cells, common in crops and grasses. 
    • Hotspots: Brazilian Cerrado, Southeast Asia, West Africa 
  • EcM (Ectomycorrhizal) fungi: They wrap around roots, common in forest trees like oak and pine. 
    • Hotspots: Canada, Siberia, Central Europe, Western US. 
• Recognising the ecological significance of fungi and other soil organisms, the FAO launched the Global Soil Biodiversity Observatory (GLOBSOB) at COP15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Canada, a global effort to monitor, protect, and integrate soil life into environmental policy.