While humans and animals are affected by global climate change, trees are also affected.
Trees are struggling to adapt to climate change because fungi, a necessary ingredient for their growth, are declining.
Fungi provide essential nutrients and water to trees and plants. Most tree species rely on underground fungi called ectomycorrhizal fungi for nutrients and water.
Heat and drought pose threats to fungi because heat and drought are harmful to both trees and fungi.
Fungi and plants work together in a process called soil carbon sequestration. This involves capturing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in the soil.
Organizations such as the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN), the Fungi Foundation, and Global Fungi are working to improve soil ecosystems. She is also leading a global effort to map the Earth’s fungal networks.
