Even someone as daft me even knows the importance of Fungi, all it takes is a little research on any search engine & more information we can ever imagine to read in a lifetime is available to us. So now it seems, scientists are finally acknowledging more so the importance of the underground. After all, like I said before the vast majority of the life of a forest happens beneath it so shouldn't therefore I know it may sound daft but shouldn't we take more notice of what is happening & use this as a source of solutions in terms of out climate war.
I read a great article by Merlin Sheldrake, who is to me at least is a fungi expert & I read & watch a lot of his content. Anyway in this article he mentions that mycorrhizal networks are capable of capturing 5 billion tons of co2 every year; equivalent to the entirety of the US' carbon blowing. I mean that's incredible right. Or is it? We shouldn't underestimate the the amazing latitude of this network. Inside just the first 10cm of soil, over 450 quadrillion kilometres of mycelium exists. That's half of the width of the Milky Way galaxy. So, is it a surprise that this network is finally getting more attention than it is clearing getting in regard to the climate crisis? Well now it seems, it is not. The network will be mapped for the first time, let's be frank in an attempt to save the planet. We need action now. Not in 10 years, not in 20 years (cough... COP). The Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) who is responsible for mapping this received it's biggest donation (£2.6 million) from Jeremy Grantham who has pledged 98% of his worth to conservation. So how does it work?
SPUN will use a machine to identify biodiversity hotspots in these specific areas; from which will draw from over 10,000 samples. These locations span every continent from Canada's Tundra to Russia's Taiga. The conclusions will help SPUN to best identify which underground ecosystems need the most attention to risk.
Why is this important?
Raging a forest of it's life & planting a tree in it's place is no good. We've seen examples of this everywhere. What this does is slowly damage the fungal network; what the tree relies on to embed itself within. A 100ft spruce pine is capable to withstand 80mph winds year after year high up in the Appalachian is because of everything happening below it. Fungi cohese with soil which gives it's sticky like viscosity to embed themselves together & allow a tree room to spread it's roots freely & longer creating a stronger foundation. However, as well as forestry, farming & logging also severely damages mycorrhizal networks by up to 95% & fungal communities by 75%. Farming practices damage this by using artificial fertilisers & also pesticides. "Synthetic fertilizer application begins the destruction of soil biodiversity by suppressing the role of nitrogen-fixing bacteria and enhancing the role of everything that feeds on nitrogen" (1) It was Vandana Shiva who is an advocate for natural fertilisers, whenever I think of her I think of the importance of. "If we stop the pollution in agriculture, if we stop the chemicals in a 10-year timeframe, we can feed the world, regenerate more wilderness" (2).
More to follow!
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