Seeing the Fungi for the Timber

The map above inverts that dynamic. It exhibits the expected richness of the second group, the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. (You can play with the map here. To toggle between the 2 teams, hit the button at decrease proper.) Instead of encasing the roots, these penetrate them. Notice their species richness past the boreal forests, particularly within the tropics. Interestingly, an arbuscular fungi sizzling spot isn’t the Amazon rainforest, however the adjoining savanna in Brazil. “When you think where the hottest hot spots on the planet for biodiversity are, most people are going to think about the Amazon rainforest,” Van Nuland says. “But for this type of mycorrhizal fungal group, that’s in the surrounding ecosystem.”

Scientists are nonetheless understanding what influences the worldwide distribution of ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular fungi. Complicating issues, although, is the truth that the 2 teams can overlap in the identical environments. Bogar, as an example, works in Northern California with Douglas fir bushes, which have ectomycorrhizal fungi, and redwoods, which have arbuscular fungi. “Even though to me standing on the ground, they both look like just really tall, beautiful trees that probably have similar ecology, from the perspective of a fungus interacting with their roots, they’re profoundly different,” says Bogar.