The Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) is set to leverage an AI environment to map and safeguard the vast, largely unexplored fungal networks beneath our feet, crucial for climate change mitigation and biodiversity preservation.
In an ambitious new venture, the non-profit organization, Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN), is to spearhead a revolutionary project to chart the subterranean fungal networks that underpin our ecosystems. This endeavor, as reported by the Eco Watch website, has received the largest-ever financial contribution for such a mission, indicating its significance in the global environmental conservation arena.
Fungal networks underground play a critical role in carbon storage and nutrient transport through the soil, making them indispensable for our planet’s survival. Environmental leaders such as Jane Goodall, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, are among the many who endorse SPUN’s project. These luminaries see the understanding and conservation of these networks as vital to the protection of soil, the foundation upon which all life depends.
As part of their role, they’ll be working alongside a team of esteemed authors and conservationists, including Michael Pollan, Merlin Sheldrake, and Fungi Foundation founder Giuliana Furci. This exceptional assembly of minds is working collaboratively to shed light on the pressing issues affecting the subterranean fungal realm, known colloquially as the “Wood Wide Web.”
The term ‘Wood Wide Web,’ initially introduced by the BBC, represents the complex and expansive network of fungi that aids in nutrient sharing among trees and other plant life. Despite being understudied, the scale of this network is staggering, spanning an estimated 280 quadrillion miles – half the width of the Milky Way galaxy. The intricate matrix of subterranean fungal interconnections underscores the urgency of understanding and protecting these ecological systems that are essential for maintaining Earth’s biodiversity.
However, the continued existence of these fungal networks is in jeopardy, faced with the damaging impact of human activities such as agriculture, pesticide use, deforestation, and urbanization. Current biodiversity protection measures unfortunately overlook more than half of the life beneath our soil.
SPUN’s novel project will employ the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to address this oversight. Utilizing machine learning, SPUN seeks to identify fungal biodiversity hotspots and extract 10,000 samples from these ecosystems within the next 18 months. The project’s first collection is scheduled for the highlands of Patagonia, while other potential hotspots include the Canadian tundra, the Mexican plateau, Morocco, the western Sahara, Israel’s Negev desert, Kazakhstan’s steppes, Tibet’s grasslands, and Russia’s taiga, as reported by The Guardian.
Once the mapping is complete, SPUN will identify the underground ecosystems at greatest risk and devise strategic plans to shield them. The vital funding propelling this venture forward was generously contributed by the Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust.
Jeremy Grantham, who committed 98 percent of his net worth to combat the climate crisis, recognizes the immense significance of these unseen fungal networks in the fight against climate change. According to EcoWatch, he highlighted that billions of tons of carbon dioxide are absorbed annually from plants into these networks.
The SPUN initiative therefore symbolizes a pioneering step in global conservation efforts. It acknowledges the necessity to understand and protect these hidden fungal networks, as they serve as potent carbon sinks and hold a pivotal role in the continuity of life on Earth. As AI technology continues to develop and advance, its application within environmental conservation is proving invaluable, particularly in unlocking the mysteries of our AI environment.
