Why Mycorrhizal Fungi is Important for growing, soil, & the environment

You might be surprised to learn that without fungi, the world would be a very different place. Although you don’t always see it, mycorrhizal fungi are a huge part of our environment and keeping the planet healthy.

When you see a mushroom, this is just a small product of a huge underground fungi network known as mycelium. Each square inch of earth contains up to 8 miles of mycelium!

This means that fungi bind our earth and delicate ecosystems together. So with this in mind, we’ll explore why mycorrhizal fungi are important for the environment.

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What is Mycorrhizal Fungi?

Mycorrhiza is the name given to fungi when it forms a special relationship with the roots of other plants. In this relationship, both fungus and plant benefit from sharing recourses such as water and nutrients.

Mycorrhizal fungi are particularly good at holding moisture. So they help to create the perfect conditions for plants to thrive and for dry landscapes to flourish.

Why is Mycorrhizal Fungi Important for the Environment?

Carbon dioxide (Co2) is the main culprit when it comes to global warming. And our planet is suffering due to the excessive amounts of it that are building up in the atmosphere.

Trees, in particular, play a huge role in absorbing Co2 emissions from the environment. It’s thought that our forests absorb up to a third of all Co2 emissions.

When trees take Co2 from the air, they store it away in their trunks and roots. And in exchange, they release lots of clean oxygen into the atmosphere for us to breathe.

Studies have shown that trees and plants that partner up with mycorrhizal fungi are up to 70 per cent more effective at absorbing and storing Co2.

These fungi also recycle waste and pollution from the earth and turn it into nutrient-rich soil. As well as this they slow down the decomposition process of dead trees.

When trees decompose, they start to release their stored Co2 back into the air. So when this process is slowed down, less Co2 is released into the atmosphere.

So when you understand this, it’s easy to see why mycorrhizal fungi is important for the environment.

Why is Mycorrhizal Fungi at Risk?

Unfortunately, Mycorrhizal Fungi are taking a huge blow from the effects of man-made pollution. Nitrogen in particular is having a huge effect on fungi colonies.

Nitrogen is used a lot in agriculture where it’s absorbed into the ground. It’s also released in fossil fuel emissions that get rained back down into the earth.

And although Western countries are reducing their fossil fuel emissions, their use is increasing in developing countries.

How can we help Mycorrhizal Fungi?

Apart from reducing our fossil fuel consumption, there are other steps we can take to help protect mycorrhizal fungi.

• No-till farming practices help fungi to thrive. So, try using no-till practices in your garden to increase the mycorrhizal fungi networks.

• You should also avoid using excessive fertilizers and pesticides in your garden. These can damage mycorrhizal fungi.

• Try and have diversity in your garden. Different plants attract different types of mycorrhizal fungi. And each has different benefits to offer your soil.

• You can add mycorrhizal fungi directly into the earth of your garden or pot plants in the form of supplements. These will increase mycorrhizal populations and encourage root growth. See links at the bottom of the page.

So even though you can’t even see them, mycorrhizal fungi are the champions of our forests. They create the perfect environment in which our precious trees and other plants can grow and thrive.

Without the support of fungi our forests simply can’t absorb the same levels of Co2. The result is the continued escalation of global heating. This is why mycorrhizal fungi is important for the environment, and we must do all we can to support these little fungi networks!

Where to get additional Mycorrhizal Fungi spores?

If you feel like your garden, soil, etc could use an extra boost or you would like to encourage plants and trees to grow more quickly, here are a few places to purchase.