Global hotspots of mycorrhizal fungal richness are poorly protected
Mycorrhizal fungi underpin plant life and global biogeochemical cycles, yet their global biodiversity patterns have remained largely hidden. Using machine‑learning models trained on >2.8 billion DNA sequences from 25,000 geolocated soil samples, this study predicts global richness and rarity of arbuscular and ectomycorrhizal fungi. High‑resolution maps reveal major hotspots of diverse and endemic mycorrhizal communities, but fewer than 10% fall within protected areas. These findings illuminate a critical, previously unmapped component of Earth’s underground ecosystems and provide a foundation for conservation prioritization, monitoring benchmarks and targeted restoration strategies.
Subject Tags
- Biodiversity
- Soils
Abstract
Mycorrhizal fungi are ecosystem engineers that sustain plant life and help regulate Earth’s biogeochemical cycles. However, in contrast to plants and animals, the global distribution of mycorrhizal fungal biodiversity is largely unknown, which limits our ability to monitor and protect key underground ecosystems. Here we trained machine-learning algorithms on a global dataset of 25,000 geolocated soil samples comprising >2.8 billion fungal DNA sequences. We predicted arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal fungal richness and rarity across terrestrial ecosystems. On the basis of these predictions, we generated high-resolution, global-scale maps and identified key reservoirs of highly diverse and endemic mycorrhizal communities. Intersecting protected areas with mycorrhizal hotspots indicated that less than 10% of predicted mycorrhizal richness hotspots currently exist in protected areas. Our results describe a largely hidden component of Earth’s underground ecosystems and can help identify conservation priorities, set monitoring benchmarks and create specific restoration plans and land-management strategies.
Citation
Van Nuland, M. E., Averill, C., Stewart, J. D., Prylutskyi, O., Corrales, A., Van Galen, L. G., ... & van den Hoogen, J. (2025). Global hotspots of mycorrhizal fungal richness are poorly protected. Nature, 645(8080), 414-422. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09277-4
TNC Authors
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Alexander Wegmann
Lead Scientist, Island Resilience, California
The Nature Conservancy
Email: alex.wegmann@tnc.org -
Katie Franklin
Island Conservation Strategy Lead, Hawaii
The Nature Conservancy
Email: k.r.franklin@tnc.org