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Reposted by Toby Kiers

Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) @spun.earth · 1d

Recently, we mapped endemic fungal networks in Zagori 🇬🇷 with @seanmaston.bsky.social, @vkokkoris.bsky.social and team.

Vikos Gorge is a hotspot for endangered species, with underground systems supported by rock formations ~160 million yrs old.

We're now returning to cover more ground.

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Toby Kiers @tobykiers.bsky.social · 1d

Thanks Virginia for the kind message - we have those data back now from Palmyra and they are super interesting! email me...

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Toby Kiers @tobykiers.bsky.social · 1d

Thanks for the wonderful message Katie. Its totally surreal.

Toby Kiers @tobykiers.bsky.social · 1d

This week, I was awarded a MacArthur ‘Genius’ Grant. So proud to be included among individuals recognized for “extraordinary originality & dedication in their creative pursuits”. This research has been possible because I collaborate with the most incredible teams.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/a...

MacArthur Foundation Announces 2025 ‘Genius Grant’ Winners

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Toby Kiers

Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) @spun.earth · 2d

Congrats to Executive Director @tobykiers.bsky.social on being named a 2025 #MacFellow by the MacArthur Foundation (buff.ly/HOU1qb7). Also called the “Genius Grant,” it’s one of the largest awards in the US, honoring exceptionally talented and creative individuals.

Shout out to fellow awardees! 👏

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Toby Kiers @tobykiers.bsky.social · 1d

Still in shock!

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Cátia Canteiro @catiacanteiro.bsky.social · 4d

So excited to be representing @spun.earth at the #IUCNCongress! 🌍✨ I’m eager to connect with you and explore how we can integrate mycorrhizal fungi into your conservation strategies. Schedule a time to meet up: www.spun.earth/events/iucn-...

Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) @spun.earth · 4d

🚨SPUN’S Biodiversity Conservation Strategist, @catiacanteiro.bsky.social will be at the #IUCNcongress presenting our latest mycorrhizal maps to conservation leaders.

Schedule a meeting with Cátia: buff.ly/dy2amO3

Visit SPUN’s event page: buff.ly/aQ7L97Y

SPUN at IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025

www.spun.earth

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Reposted by Toby Kiers

Ákos T Kovács @evolvedbiofilm.bsky.social · Aug 14

Mycorrhizal allies: synergizing forest carbon and multifunctional restoration

@cp-trendsecolevo.bsky.social by Tengteng Li (李腾腾), Richard Phillips, @mrillig.bsky.social, @gangst.bsky.social, @tobykiers.bsky.social, Paola Bonfante, Nico Eisenhauer & Zhanfeng Liu (刘占锋)

www.cell.com/trends/ecolo...

Mycorrhizal allies: synergizing forest carbon and multifunctional restoration

While forest degradation persists across many regions, restoration efforts have predominantly targeted aboveground carbon, often overlooking critical belowground ecosystem functions. Plant–mycorrhizal...

www.cell.com

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Reposted by Toby Kiers

Evelina Tutucci @anilevetu.bsky.social · Aug 26

Beatiful article @tobykiers.bsky.social !
Source: NPR
search.app/tP7Ep

How plants and fungi trade resources without a brain

Fungi and plants have something to teach humans about global trade and cooperation

search.app

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Toby Kiers @tobykiers.bsky.social · Sep 2

Oh wow. Thanks for sharing Evelina.

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Reposted by Toby Kiers

Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) @spun.earth · Jul 28

Fungal networks have remained in the dark, despite the extraordinary ways they sustain life on land and they need urgent protection.

Read the article by Taro Kaneko in the @theguardian.com here: www.theguardian.com/science/2025...

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Reposted by Toby Kiers

The Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative @thegsbi.bsky.social · Jul 25

📣 GSBI's latest blog has just been published 🎉

In this blog, Dr. Laura Van Galen discusses the mystery of dark taxa in ectomycorrhizal fungi 🍄

Read it here 👇

www.globalsoilbiodiversity.org/blog-beneath...

The problem of “dark taxa” in ectomycorrhizal fungal conservation and research — Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative

Laura van Galen, ETH Zürich (Switzerland) & SPUN (Society for the Protection of Underground Networks)

www.globalsoilbiodiversity.org

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Reposted by Toby Kiers

Chris McDermott @chrismcdermott.bsky.social · Jul 25

“For centuries, we’ve mapped mountains, forests, and oceans. But these fungi have remained in the dark, despite the extraordinary ways they sustain life on land.” @tobykiers.bsky.social , @spun.earth

Earth’s Underground Fungi Networks Need Urgent Protection: Study - EcoWatch

The underground fungi networks that help sustain Earth’s ecosystems are in need of urgent conservation action, according to SPUN.

www.ecowatch.com

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Reposted by Toby Kiers

Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) @spun.earth · Jul 25

SPUN is featured in @science.org in a piece written by @humbertobasilio.bsky.social. Learn where some of the most unique fungal communities exist, such as West Africa’s Guinean forests, Tasmania’s temperate rainforests, and Brazil’s Cerrado savanna.

Read here: www.science.org/content/arti...

Most of Earth’s critical underground fungus is unprotected

First global map of mushrooms that form beneficial relationships with plant roots reveals 90% live outside of conservation areas

www.science.org

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Reposted by Toby Kiers

Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) @spun.earth · Jul 23

Who lives underground?

Find out now in our new paper published in @nature.com.

Key finding: 90% of predicted mycorrhizal biodiversity hotspots lie outside protected areas.

Read here: buff.ly/WmDqAP3 🧵

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Reposted by Toby Kiers

Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) @spun.earth · Jul 9

We know most animals don’t cross the Wallace Line. Not even those with wings.

But what about fungi?

Underground Explorer Helbert Lim is studying the influence of the Wallace on fungal dispersal, with the potential of recording new species.

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Reposted by Toby Kiers

Justin Stewart @thecrobe.bsky.social · Jun 23

🌾 New PhD chapter OneEarth @cp-oneearth.bsky.social

For decades, crops were thought to yield better outside their centers of origin by escaping native pests and diseases.

Using AI and remote sensing, we found no yield advantages for crops outside origins.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Crop yields are not greater outside centers of origin

Scientists have long posited that crops achieve higher yields outside their centers of origin by escaping pests and pathogens. However, this assumptio…

www.sciencedirect.com

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Reposted by Toby Kiers

Wyatt Myskow @wyattmyskow.bsky.social · Jun 23

The saguaro cactus is an icon of the American West.

But little is known about a key factor to their long lives and resiliency hidden under the ground: mycorrhizal fungi.

Researchers with @spun.earth are trying to change that.

My latest:
insideclimatenews.org/news/2206202...

Searching for Hidden Fungi in the Sonoran Desert - Inside Climate News

Mycorrhizal fungi are vital to ecosystems around the world, but remain largely understudied, especially in arid regions. They may prove critical to the survival of fragile deserts stressed by climate ...

insideclimatenews.org

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Toby Kiers @tobykiers.bsky.social · Jun 20

congrats on such a beautiful piece of work

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Vasilis Kokkoris @vkokkoris.bsky.social · Jun 20

🧪🧬Should we reignite genetic manipulation attempts on #arbuscular #mycorrhizal #fungi? Our review in @cp-trendsmicrobiol.bsky.social suggests the time is ripe.

With: Midge Woodward @paszkowskilab.bsky.social @alexdallaire.bsky.social

Open access🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.ti...

#scicomm

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Ákos T Kovács @evolvedbiofilm.bsky.social · Jun 20

Is genetic manipulation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi possible?

@cp-trendsmicrobiol.bsky.social review from @vkokkoris.bsky.social

www.cell.com/trends/micro...

Is genetic manipulation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi possible?

Unlike many fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have proven recalcitrant to genetic manipulation due to their obligate biotrophic lifestyle and multinucleate, coenocytic cellular structure. In th...

www.cell.com

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Reposted by Toby Kiers

Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) @spun.earth · Jun 18

Find out why SPUN scientists @camilletruong.bsky.social and @laura-vangalen.bsky.social are desperate to know more about dark taxa in this new article by Daniel Graham, featured on BBC Magazine's Discover Wildlife: www.discoverwildlife.com/environment/...

Dark taxa: why scientists are desperate to know more about this secret network of underground life | Discover Wildlife

Huge numbers of subterranean fungi remain unknown to science, posing problems for conservation around the world, say researchers.

www.discoverwildlife.com

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Reposted by Toby Kiers

Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) @spun.earth · Jun 11

Have you ever heard of the term “dark taxa”?

Published in @currentbiology.bsky.social‬, a new study reveals an astonishing 83% of ectomycorrhizal #fungi are classified as dark taxa, existing only through their DNA sequences and eluding formal classification. 🧵

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Toby Kiers @tobykiers.bsky.social · Jun 10

Thanks for the post Mark!

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Restoring Ecosystems @restoring.bsky.social · Jun 10

Vital DNA research on ‘invisible’ species of fungi performing those functions that transformed 🌍 and maintain essential ecosystem functions

Still so much to learn! 🍄‍🟫

Huge congratulations to @spun.earth & the wonderful @bethanfmanley.bsky.social @tobykiers.bsky.social &
@thecrobe.bsky.social

Laura van Galen @laura-vangalen.bsky.social · Jun 10

Our paper shows that most ectomycorrhizal fungal species (83% of OTUs) are "dark taxa": species we detect in DNA, but can't match to known species names. We map global "darkspots" - the parts of the world most in need of more research. @spun.earth @ethz.ch www.cell.com/current-biol...

The biogeography and conservation of Earth’s ‘dark’ ectomycorrhizal fungi

In this review, van Galen et al. use global soil metabarcoding databases to evaluate current estimates of the total number of ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungal species on Earth, outline the current state o...

www.cell.com

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