Global hotspots of mycorrhizal fungal richness are poorly protected

Michael E. van Nuland; Colin Averill; Justin D. Stewart; Oleh Prylutskyi; Adriana Corrales; Laura G. van Galen; Bethan F. Manley; Clara Qin; Thomas Lauber; Vladimir S. Mikryukov; Olesia Dulia; Giuliana Furci; César Marín; Merlin Sheldrake; James T Weedon; K.G. Peay; Charlie K. Cornwallis; Tomáš Větrovský; Petr Kohout; Petr Baldrian; Leho Tedersoo; Stuart A. West; Thomas W. Crowther; E. Toby  Kiers; Dario X. Ramirez-Villacis; Johan van den Hoogen

doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09277-4

Global hotspots of mycorrhizal fungal richness are poorly protected

Michael E. van Nuland^* (Corresponding author)
, Colin Averill
, Justin D. Stewart
, Oleh Prylutskyi
, Adriana Corrales
, Laura G. van Galen
, Bethan F. Manley
, Clara Qin
, Thomas Lauber
, Vladimir S. Mikryukov
, Olesia Dulia
, Giuliana Furci
, César Marín
, Merlin Sheldrake
, James T Weedon
, K.G. Peay
, Charlie K. Cornwallis
, Tomáš Větrovský
, Petr Kohout
, Petr Baldrian

Leho Tedersoo, Stuart A. West, Thomas W. Crowther, E. Toby Kiers, Dario X. Ramirez-Villacis, Johan van den Hoogen

^*Corresponding author for this work

NIOO - Microbial Ecology (ME)

Research output: Contribution to journal/periodical › Article › Scientific › peer-review

15 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Mycorrhizal fungi are ecosystem engineers that sustain plant life and help regulate Earth’s biogeochemical cycles1,2,3. 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 ecosystems4,5. 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.

Original language	English
Journal	Nature
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09277-4
Publication status	Published - 23 Jul 2025

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van Nuland, M. E., Averill, C., Stewart, J. D., Prylutskyi, O., Corrales, A., van Galen, L. G., Manley, B. F., Qin, C., Lauber, T., Mikryukov, V. S., Dulia, O., Furci, G., Marín, C., Sheldrake, M., Weedon, J. T., Peay, K. G., Cornwallis, C. K., Větrovský, T., Kohout, P., ... van den Hoogen, J. (2025). Global hotspots of mycorrhizal fungal richness are poorly protected. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09277-4

@article{466365f3fbfe4190937c92f1ed71c188,

title = "Global hotspots of mycorrhizal fungal richness are poorly protected",

abstract = "Mycorrhizal fungi are ecosystem engineers that sustain plant life and help regulate Earth{\textquoteright}s biogeochemical cycles1,2,3. 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 ecosystems4,5. 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{\textquoteright}s underground ecosystems and can help identify conservation priorities, set monitoring benchmarks and create specific restoration plans and land-management strategies.",

author = "\{van Nuland\}, \{Michael E.\} and Colin Averill and Stewart, \{Justin D.\} and Oleh Prylutskyi and Adriana Corrales and \{van Galen\}, \{Laura G.\} and Manley, \{Bethan F.\} and Clara Qin and Thomas Lauber and Mikryukov, \{Vladimir S.\} and Olesia Dulia and Giuliana Furci and C{\'e}sar Mar{\'i}n and Merlin Sheldrake and Weedon, \{James T\} and K.G. Peay and Cornwallis, \{Charlie K.\} and Tom{\'a}{\v s} V{\v e}trovsk{\'y} and Petr Kohout and Petr Baldrian and Leho Tedersoo and West, \{Stuart A.\} and Crowther, \{Thomas W.\} and Kiers, \{E. Toby\} and Ramirez-Villacis, \{Dario X.\} and \{van den Hoogen\}, Johan",

year = "2025",

month = jul,

day = "23",

doi = "10.1038/s41586-025-09277-4",

language = "English",

journal = "Nature",

issn = "0028-0836",

publisher = "Nature Research",

}

van Nuland, ME, Averill, C, Stewart, JD, Prylutskyi, O, Corrales, A, van Galen, LG, Manley, BF, Qin, C, Lauber, T, Mikryukov, VS, Dulia, O, Furci, G, Marín, C, Sheldrake, M, Weedon, JT, Peay, KG, Cornwallis, CK, Větrovský, T, Kohout, P, Baldrian, P, Tedersoo, L, West, SA, Crowther, TW, Kiers, ET, Ramirez-Villacis, DX & van den Hoogen, J 2025, 'Global hotspots of mycorrhizal fungal richness are poorly protected', Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09277-4

TY - JOUR

T1 - Global hotspots of mycorrhizal fungal richness are poorly protected

AU - van Nuland, Michael E.

AU - Averill, Colin

AU - Stewart, Justin D.

AU - Prylutskyi, Oleh

AU - Corrales, Adriana

AU - van Galen, Laura G.

AU - Manley, Bethan F.

AU - Qin, Clara

AU - Lauber, Thomas

AU - Mikryukov, Vladimir S.

AU - Dulia, Olesia

AU - Furci, Giuliana

AU - Marín, César

AU - Sheldrake, Merlin

AU - Weedon, James T

AU - Peay, K.G.

AU - Cornwallis, Charlie K.

AU - Větrovský, Tomáš

AU - Kohout, Petr

AU - Baldrian, Petr

AU - Tedersoo, Leho

AU - West, Stuart A.

AU - Crowther, Thomas W.

AU - Kiers, E. Toby

AU - Ramirez-Villacis, Dario X.

AU - van den Hoogen, Johan

PY - 2025/7/23

Y1 - 2025/7/23

N2 - Mycorrhizal fungi are ecosystem engineers that sustain plant life and help regulate Earth’s biogeochemical cycles1,2,3. 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 ecosystems4,5. 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.

AB - Mycorrhizal fungi are ecosystem engineers that sustain plant life and help regulate Earth’s biogeochemical cycles1,2,3. 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 ecosystems4,5. 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.

U2 - 10.1038/s41586-025-09277-4

DO - 10.1038/s41586-025-09277-4

M3 - Article

SN - 0028-0836

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

ER -

Global hotspots of mycorrhizal fungal richness are poorly protected

Abstract

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