An extensive global underground network
A remarkable finding shows soil fungi store a substantial share of the world’s carbon from fossil fuels. These organisms act as a natural filter, helping move the needle toward net zero emissions by absorbing carbon buried deep underground. A team from the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom reported in Current Biology that mycorrhizal fungi—those forming symbiotic ties with plants—can trap as much as 36 percent of global fossil fuel emissions beneath the surface, roughly 13 gigatons. This figure surpasses the annual emissions of a large country and highlights the underground realm as a pivotal player in climate mitigation. Source attribution: University of Sheffield, Current Biology.
For millions of years, fungi have built expansive underground networks. These networks thread through meadows, forests, road verges, gardens, and even urban soils, contributing not only to carbon storage and climate regulation but also to overall biodiversity. Previously it was known that fungi store carbon via their partnerships with plants, yet the full magnitude of their carbon capture was not understood until now. The discovery sheds new light on the hidden dynamics that sustain soil health and ecosystem resilience. Source attribution: University of Sheffield, Current Biology.
Following the publication, researchers urged policymakers to factor these underground systems into biodiversity conservation and restoration strategies. The study stresses that soil ecosystems require stronger protection and proactive management as key components of climate and food security policies. Source attribution: University of Sheffield, Current Biology.
Estimates from the United Nations indicate that at the current pace, as much as 90 percent of soil could be degraded by 2050. Such degradation would not only hinder climate action but also threaten crop yields and plant productivity. Field notes that mycorrhizal fungi occupy a foundational position in carbon modeling and restoration planning, yet their contributions have often been overlooked. The numbers from the study underscore the need to include underground networks in environmental decision making. Source attribution: University of Sheffield, Current Biology.
Katie Field, professor of Plant-Soil Processes at the University of Sheffield and a co-author of the study, highlights the blind spot in current assessments of carbon dynamics. She emphasizes that mycorrhizal fungi are essential to understanding soil carbon storage and restoration outcomes, and that the latest findings reveal a much larger role than previously recognized. Source attribution: University of Sheffield, Current Biology.
soil destruction
Like other fragile systems, soil ecosystems face pressures from agricultural expansion, development, and industrial activity. The broader consequences of disturbed soil communities extend beyond carbon storage, affecting habitat diversity, nutrient cycles, and the capacity of landscapes to buffer climate impacts. The authors call for intensified efforts to protect underground networks, arguing that safeguarding these connections is vital for biodiversity and planetary health. Source attribution: University of Sheffield, Current Biology.
More research is underway to determine how long soil fungi can retain carbon and to further clarify the roles fungi play within global ecosystems. The lead author, Toby Kiers of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and co-founder of the Association for the Conservation of Subterranean Networks, frames this work as part of a worldwide push to map the functions of fungi in Earth’s systems. He notes that mycorrhizal fungi form the base of food webs supporting much of life on the planet, yet scientists are only beginning to grasp how their networks operate. There is a clear warning that more learning is required. Source attribution: University of Sheffield, Current Biology.
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Due to the sensitive nature of soil health, the study also calls for ongoing monitoring of how long carbon remains stored in soil fungi and for continued analysis of their broader influence on ecosystems. The researchers stress the importance of integrating underground biology into environmental governance and practical land management. Source attribution: University of Sheffield, Current Biology.
Researchers point to a collaborative global effort to deepen the understanding of fungi within Earth’s ecosystems, recognizing their role as a foundational element of life-support systems across landscapes. This work is part of a wider initiative to map the real contributions of subterranean networks to climate stability, soil quality, and biodiversity. Source attribution: University of Sheffield, Current Biology.
Mycorrhizal fungi sit at the base of food webs that sustain most life on Earth. While new findings illuminate their importance, scientists acknowledge there is still much to learn about how these networks function in different soils, climates, and plant communities. The message is clear: protecting these underground lifelines is essential for a healthier planet. Source attribution: University of Sheffield, Current Biology.
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