Fungi feed nearly all of Earth’s plant life, store a significant portion of global carbon emissions underground, and are essential to healthy ecosystems—yet they remain one of the most overlooked kingdoms of life on the planet. Across Africa, a pioneering generation of mycologists is working to change that. In Madagascar, the nation’s first homegrown mycologist, Anna Ralaiveloarisoa, is racing to document as many of the estimated 100,000 fungal species as possible, of which less than 1% are scientifically described. Across the continent, in the Republic of Congo, that country’s first mycologist is building a national fungarium from scratch. From Benin to Zimbabwe, these researchers are pushing for fungi to be included alongside flora and fauna in conservation efforts.
The Guardian
