Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 4 — Narrative / commentaryPeer-reviewed

Fungal impacts on Earth's ecosystems.

Case NT, Gurr SJ, Fisher MC, Blehert DS, Boone C, Casadevall A, Chowdhary A, Cuomo CA, Currie CR, Denning DW, Ene IV, Fritz-Laylin LK, Gerstein AC, Gow NAR, Gusa A, Iliev ID, James TY, Jin H, Kahmann R, Klein BS, Kronstad JW, Ost KS, Peay KG, Shapiro RS, Sheppard DC, Shlezinger N, Stajich JE, Stukenbrock EH, Taylor JW, Wright GD, Cowen LE, Heitman J, Segre JA.

Nature · 2025

Read source ↗ All evidence

Summary

This Nature review by Case, Gurr, Fisher and colleagues presents a comprehensive synthesis of how fungi shape Earth's ecosystems, drawing on expertise spanning mycology, ecology, microbiology and related disciplines. The paper likely examines fungal contributions to nutrient cycling, soil health, plant interactions and ecosystem resilience at global scale. Such work establishes foundational understanding of fungal biology relevant to sustainable land management and food production systems.

UK applicability

The findings are relevant to UK soil health and agricultural sustainability policy, particularly regarding the role of fungal communities in supporting crop productivity and carbon sequestration in UK soils. Understanding fungal ecosystem functions may inform UK land stewardship practices and environmental regulation.

Key measures

Narrative assessment of fungal ecological roles, biodiversity patterns, and ecosystem service provision across multiple biomes and ecological contexts

Outcomes reported

The study synthesises current understanding of fungal roles in ecosystem functioning, including decomposition, nutrient cycling, plant-fungal interactions, and broader impacts on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. It likely addresses knowledge gaps regarding fungal contributions to ecosystem stability and resilience.

Theme
General food systems / other
Subject
Fungal ecology and ecosystem functioning
Study type
Narrative Review
Study design
Narrative review
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
Global
System type
Ecosystem services and biodiversity
DOI
10.1038/s41586-024-08419-4
Catalogue ID
NRmo3d4gae-001

Topic tags

Pulse AI · ask about this record

Dig deeper with Pulse AI.

Pulse AI has read the whole catalogue. Ask about this record, its theme, or how the findings apply to UK farming and policy — every answer cites the underlying studies.