Mycorrhizal fungi on tree roots are key predictors of soil carbon storage in forests

Summary

This article summarizes research published in Functional Ecology about how symbiotic fungi (mycorrhizas) on tree roots play a crucial role in controlling soil carbon storage in forests. The key finding is that most forest carbon is stored underground in soil rather than in trees themselves, and mycorrhizal fungi act as the main gateway for pumping plant carbon into the soil. The research examines this relationship at super fine scales, revealing how fungi on tree roots predict soil carbon distribution.