As above so below (our feet!) A recent @nytimes article, “Unearthing the Secret Superpowers of Fungus,” by Somini Sengupta explores the interconnectedness of mycelial networks and their crucial role in reducing climate change. 'Some species of fungi can store exceptional levels of carbon underground, keeping it out of the air and preventing it from heating up the Earth’s atmosphere. Others help plants survive brutal droughts or fight off pests. There are those especially good at feeding nutrients to crops, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.' Fungi are what Dr. E.T. Kiers, an evolutionary biologist based at the Free University of Amsterdam, calls 'levers' for addressing our changing climate. She focuses on a specific type of fungus called mycorrhizal fungi. A critical member of the plant microbiome that forms symbiotic relationships with almost every plant on Earth. This research follows in the scientific footsteps of Lovelock and Margulis, further expanding and adding depth to the Gaia theory. A theory where we are not a collection of 'individual species,' but a 'web of organisms dealing with crises together.' Fungi give the plants nutrients from the soil; in exchange, plants provide the fungus carbon required for growth, captured by photosynthesis. This exchange has been est. to pull up to 5 billion tons of CO2 out of the air. As Dr. Keirs states, the vast biodiversity of fungus is under-explored and misunderstood. But the fungi that could help us save our planet are affected by human activity, from chemical fertilizers to logging, and especially climate change. Dr. Kiers is on a mission to document all mycorrhizal fungi and learn how to protect them before they are gone. The images in the post show a recent expedition to Chile, led by Dr. Keirs (@spununderground) and Giuliana Furci (@giulifungi), an environmentalist and head of the @FungiFoundation, 'an advocacy group that successfully lobbied to include fungi for protection under Chilean environmental law.' 🙌 They were also joined by the biologist and writer @Merlin.Sheldrake and his musician brother, @Cosmosheldrake. Quotes: NYT Images: Tomás Munita Illustration: Emma Roulette