Fungi comprise approximately 20% of all eukaryotic species and are connected to virtually
all life forms on Earth. Yet, their diversity remains contentious, their distribution elusive, and …

In the context of a recent massive increase in research on plant root functions and their
impact on the environment, root ecologists currently face many important challenges to keep …

BACKGROUND Soil is the largest repository of organic matter on land, storing~ 1500 Gt
carbon, which is at least as much as the vegetation (~ 560 Gt) and atmosphere (~ 750 Gt) …

Despite having key functions in terrestrial ecosystems, information on the dominant soil fungi
and their ecological preferences at the global scale is lacking. To fill this knowledge gap, we …

Inhabiting the interface between plant roots and soil, mycorrhizal fungi play a unique but
underappreciated role in soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics. Their hyphae provide an …

Most trees form symbioses with ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) which influence access to
growth-limiting soil resources. Mesocosm experiments repeatedly show that EMF species …

The fungal kingdom comprises a hyperdiverse clade of heterotrophic eukaryotes
characterized by the presence of a chitinous cell wall, the loss of phagotrophic capabilities …

Soil health, and the closely related terms of soil quality and fertility, is considered as one of
the most important characteristics of soil ecosystems. The integrated approach to soil health …

Extreme environments on Earth are typically devoid of macro life forms and are inhabited
predominantly by highly adapted and specialized microorganisms. The discovery and …

Fungi represent a large proportion of the genetic diversity on Earth and fungal activity
influences the structure of plant and animal communities, as well as rates of ecosystem …