Researchers have developed the first comprehensive global maps detailing the distribution and density of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal networks.

研究人員開發了首批全面的全球地圖，詳細記錄了叢枝菌根（AM）真菌網絡的分佈與密度。

The study, published in Science, utilizes a synthesis of over 16,000 soil core samples, robotic imaging of 300,000 hyphae, and machine-learning models to quantify underground fungal infrastructure. These networks, consisting of thread-like hyphae, are estimated to extend approximately 110 quadrillion kilometers globally. Historically, these symbiotic relationships emerged over 450 million years ago, facilitating the terrestrial colonization of plants by exchanging phosphorus and water for plant-derived carbon.

這項發表於《科學》（Science）雜誌的研究，綜合了超過 16,000 個土壤核心樣本、30 萬條菌絲的機器人成像以及機器學習模型，以定量分析地下真菌的基礎設施。這些由絲狀菌絲組成的網絡，估計全球總長約 110 萬億公里。從歷史來看，這種共生關係在 4.5 億年前出現，透過用磷與水交換植物提供的碳，促進了植物在陸地的殖民。

Spatial analysis indicates a significant concentration of AM fungal biomass within grasslands, which account for roughly 40% of the global infrastructure. High-density clusters were identified specifically in the Tibetan plateau, the Florida Everglades, and the Sudd wetlands of South Sudan. This distribution suggests that grasslands serve as critical, yet frequently under-protected, carbon sinks, as their subterranean storage mechanisms are less susceptible to atmospheric disturbances than arboreal systems.

空間分析顯示，AM 真菌生物量高度集中於草原，約佔全球基礎設施的 40%。研究人員在青藏高原、佛羅里達大沼澤以及南蘇丹的蘇德濕地發現了高密度集群。這種分佈顯示，草原是極其重要但往往缺乏保護的碳匯，因為其地下儲存機制比樹木系統更不易受大氣擾動影響。

Conversely, the data reveal a marked diminution of fungal density in agricultural regions. Intensively managed croplands exhibit approximately 50% lower network densities compared to natural ecosystems. The researchers attribute this degradation to anthropogenic factors, including excessive fertilization, fungicide application, and intensive tillage. Such reductions in fungal density are hypothesized to impair soil carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, and systemic resilience to environmental stressors.

相反地，數據顯示農業地區的真菌密度明顯下降。密集管理的農田其網絡密度比自然生態系統低約 50%。研究人員將此退化歸因於人為因素，包括過度施肥、使用殺菌劑以及密集耕作。據假設，真菌密度的下降會損害土壤的碳封存、營養循環以及對環境壓力的系統韌性。

While the findings establish a baseline for the 'planetary circulatory system,' the authors maintain a distinction between observed resource exchange and the speculative 'wood wide web' hypothesis, noting that the latter exceeds current empirical evidence. The resulting Mycorrhizal Infrastructure Map provides a public dataset intended to inform governmental conservation strategies and climate mitigation planning.

雖然這些發現為「行星循環系統」建立了基準，但作者強調，觀察到的資源交換與推測中的「森林網絡」（wood wide web）假設有所區別，並指出後者超出了目前的經驗證據。最終形成的「菌根基礎設施圖」提供了一個公開數據集，旨在為政府的保育策略與氣候緩解計劃提供參考。

The research establishes a quantitative baseline for global fungal networks, highlighting the critical role of grasslands and the detrimental impact of industrial agriculture on soil health.

這項研究為全球真菌網絡建立了定量基準，凸顯了草原的關鍵作用以及工業化農業對土壤健康造成的負面影響。