When algae met fungi - life’s most successful partnership | Mycorrhizal Fungi

Buried in the soil lies a hidden network that transformed the planet and plays a vital role in ecosystems today.
Director: May Kindred-Boothby (www.maykindredb...)
Writer and Narrator: Merlin Sheldrake
Video by SPUN ‪@spununderground‬
www.spun.earth/
www.ffungi.org/
Watch 'Mycorrhizal Fungi: The Roots of Life on Land' on Aeon: aeon.co/videos...
Watch more free videos on Aeon: aeon.co/videos
Subscribe to the Aeon Video newsletter: bit.ly/2MfCgqO
Follow us on Twitter: / aeonmag
Follow us on Facebook: / aeonmag
Follow us on Instagram: / aeonmag
The early ancestors of plants were simple forms of algae, which drifted rootless through fresh waters. Most biologists believe that, only when algae partnered with a very different life form - fungi - some 470 million years ago, was it able thrive on land (www.ncbi.nlm.n.... Indeed, today some nine in 10 land plants exist in symbiosis with what’s known as ‘mycorrhizal’ fungi, which helps their roots to extract nutrients from the ground. This animation from the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks and the Fungi Foundation details how this hidden relationship operates, the vital role these underground fungal networks play in ecosystems worldwide, and the threats they currently face due to human activity.

[@Rex-cj1ll]

This deserves way more views

[@hym-draw]

Such a cool and beautiful video! Thanks a lot for informing us about fungi!!

[@kalai_doscope]

This is wonderful. Fungi & algae found love.

[@Swivelable]

I am a firm believer in the importance of clean air, pure water, and fertile soil, to sustain life as we know it.

[@ebob4177]

I didn't know this!

[@andrew24601]

cool video! earned a sub from me. :)

[@AeonVideo]

Thanks for the sub!

[@j1995xxx]

so excited for his movie to come out to more widely disperse this information!