Fungi: the invisible force protecting our planet
About this episode
Dr Toby Kiers discusses the crucial role of fungi in protecting the planet's ecosystems.
Scientists often talk about the importance of flora and fauna to the health of our planet, but Dr Toby Kiers, an evolutionary biologist and founder of the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks, wants us to consider another force: fungi. Her work charting the planet’s vital underground systems has earned her numerous awards, including a MacArthur fellowship and a Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement (sometimes called the ‘green’ Nobel). She tells Ian Sample about her work mapping fungal networks on the remote Palmyra Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, and what the research reveals about fungi’s often invisible role. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
People in this episode
Host: Ian Sample
Guest: Dr Toby Kiers
Topics covered
- fungi
- environment
- underground networks
- biodiversity
- ecology
Keywords
- fungi
- environmental science
- underground networks
- biodiversity
- Palmyra Atoll
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Society for the Protection of Underground Networks, MacArthur fellowship, Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, The Guardian
Places: Palmyra Atoll
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