Hidden from the naked eye and extending through intricate networks beneath the soil, fungi are attracting the attention of scientists exploring their potential to restore degraded land, slow desertification, and help address the climate crisis.
Researchers Toby Kiers and Burenjargal Otgonsuren presented this possibility through findings from their latest studies at a meeting held at the French Embassy in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The event took place during the 17th United Nations Conference to Combat Desertification (COP17).
Mycorrhizal fungi, which live in a symbiotic relationship with plant roots, form vast underground networks. In exchange for carbon produced by plants through photosynthesis, they support plant growth by helping roots absorb water and essential nutrients, including phosphorus and nitrogen.
These fungal networks also help bind soil particles together, limit erosion, and improve plants’ ability to withstand drought and other environmental pressures.
The approach tested in Mongolia is straightforward: small sections of pasture are enclosed with fences to temporarily keep out livestock and restrict human activity.
Toby Kiers of SPUN said these protected zones can shelter underground biodiversity. In the future, they may also provide locally adapted fungi for projects aimed at restoring degraded land.
Fungal Networks Act as Underground Seed Banks for Soil Restoration
Kiers compared the protected areas to seed banks, but for fungi. He explained that these organisms create an underground network that stabilizes soil and connects life above and below ground.
Soil that is more stable and supports a healthy microbial community creates better conditions for plants to return. As vegetation grows, it supplies the fungi with carbon, helping sustain the underground ecosystem.
“It’s a cycle,” Kiers said. When fungal diversity declines, less carbon enters the soil, weakening its ability to remain intact. This makes it harder for plants to grow and can accelerate land degradation.
The approach remains experimental and is being led by local researcher Burenjargal Otgonsuren, an ecologist specializing in mycorrhizae—the symbiotic relationship between fungi and plant roots. She grew up in rural Uvurkhangai province and spent part of her childhood accompanying her grandparents, who worked as herders.
That upbringing helped shape her professional path. Otgonsuren recalled her grandfather identifying plants that signaled healthy pastures or had medicinal uses. This experience inspired her to become an ecologist dedicated to helping restore the planet.
Fenced Areas Show Promising Signs of Grassland Recovery
As part of the project, she established six fenced areas across steppe and desert landscapes to temporarily reduce grazing pressure. Early 2025 results show taller vegetation inside protected zones.
The researcher plans to continue monitoring the experiments for at least three years. In the longer term, the project could expand to include ecological corridors or larger protected areas designed to preserve fungal diversity.
Burenjargal Otgonsuren says studies suggest that as much as 91% of Mongolia’s degraded grasslands could be restored to some extent. However, restoring vegetation alone is unlikely to be sufficient.
Healthy Soil and Underground Biodiversity Are Key to Grassland Recovery
For grasslands to recover, she emphasizes that healthy soil is essential—and maintaining healthy soil also means protecting the biodiversity of organisms that live beneath the surface.
The researchers were surprised by the remarkable biodiversity of Mongolia’s steppes. Analysis of the collected samples revealed that around 90% of the fungal DNA sequences belonged to species that had never been identified by science before.
Researchers identified 541 taxonomic units linked to mycorrhizal fungi in the Gobi region alone. Some species may be uniquely adapted to the local environment and found nowhere else.
This discovery highlights the importance of conserving native fungal species.Otgonsuren said local fungi should be protected and cultivated before being used in restoration.
For Toby Kiers, these findings also highlight the need to rethink how biodiversity is addressed in environmental policies. Conservation programs often prioritize visible plants and animals, while organisms living underground receive far less attention.
Kiers argues that environmental protection must move beyond this focus on above-ground life and include the organisms that remain hidden beneath the soil.
According to the researcher, around 90% of the microbial biodiversity hotspots identified by SPUN are located outside existing protected areas. She therefore called for fungi to be incorporated into desertification policies and tools used to monitor land degradation.
SPUN Maps Fungal Networks for Conservation
SPUN is already collaborating with scientists and local communities in different regions of the world to map underground fungal networks. The goal is to combine local knowledge and science for a global atlas and environmental policies.
The organization is encouraging governments and policymakers to recognize fungi as essential elements in monitoring and combating desertification.
The journalist traveled to Mongolia at the invitation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), following a selection process involving journalists from several continents.
Read the original article on: folhape
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