Almost one-third of the fungal species evaluated by global conservation authorities have been identified as threatened with extinction due to factors such as farming, forest clearance, and urban expansion.

The IUCN’s red list of fungal species has been updated to include 1,300 types following an evaluation of 482 newly assessed species.

The fungal realm ranks second only to the animal kingdom in terms of size, comprising roughly 2.5 million species—about 155,000 of which have been identified and named.

”

Fungi

“Are the unsung heroes of life on Earth, laying the groundwork for thriving ecosystems—but they’ve often been ignored,” stated IUCN Director General Dr. Grethel Aguilar following the release of the updated Red List.

Now, it’s time to put this knowledge into practice and protect the remarkable fungal realm, which supports nature and our way of life through its extensive subterranean networks.

The overall IUCN

red list

Currently encompasses 169,420 species, with 47,187 facing threats of extinction. This recent update also highlights that frankincense trees are now more endangered than before.

Why are fungi threatened?

Scientists clarify that human activities have been encroaching upon fungal habitats beneath the earth’s surface.

They discovered that 279 species face extinction because of the fast expansion of farming and urban regions. Additionally, 91 species are endangered due to nitrogen and ammonia runoff from fertilizers as well as emissions from engines.

These pose significant risks in Europe, threatening species commonly found in traditional rural areas like the fibrous waxcap (Hygrocybe intermedia), which is classified as vulnerable.

A minimum of 198 fungal species face the threat of vanishing because of deforestation driven by timber harvesting, unauthorized tree cutting, and land clearing for farming activities. The complete removal of ancient woodlands is particularly detrimental since these organisms depend on the gradual development over long periods.

networks

and lack the time to regenerate under rotational forestry practices.

Since 1975, thirty percent of ancient pine forests in Finland, Sweden, and Russia have been cleared according to the IUCN, which has led to species like the giant knight (Tricholoma colossus) becoming endangered.

Climate change is similarly culpable for the heightened threat faced by fungal species. Over 50 types of fungi are endangered because alterations in fire regimes within the United States have significantly transformed forest landscapes.

Fire weather — marked by warm, arid circumstances that increase the likelihood of fires igniting — has notably changed because of climate alteration.

research

shows.

What would be the consequences for life on Earth with the disappearance of fungi?

“Anders Dahlberg, coordinator for the IUCN SSC Mushroom, Bracket, and Puffball Specialist Group’s Red List Authority, notes that even though fungi primarily reside beneath the earth and within wood, their absence affects the organisms living above ground that rely on them,” he states.

As fungi populations decline, we diminish the crucial ecosystem services and resilience they offer, such as enhancing crop and tree resistance to drought and pathogens, along with increasing carbon storage in the soil.

The majority of plants collaborate with fungi for nutrient absorption, making their existence impossible without these organisms, as highlighted by the IUCN. These fungi serve multiple purposes; many are consumable and utilized in producing foods and beverages through processes like fermentation. Additionally, they underpin pharmaceuticals and aid in bioremediation projects aimed at purifying polluted areas.

It is crucial that we increase

old-growth forests

“Protection measures include this,” Professor Dahlberg notes further, “Forest management strategies must take into account fungi; for instance, retaining deadwood and isolated trees. Additionally, proactive forest management techniques can assist in controlling the intensity of fires.”

The most recent IUCN update indicates that frankincense trees (Boswellia) now face a higher threat of extinction. On Socotra Island, Yemen, six species previously listed as vulnerable have been reclassified into the endangered category, and three new species are being evaluated for the first time as critically endangered.

More frequent and intense

cyclones

Part of the damage was caused by flash floods and landslides, which destroyed and uprooted numerous trees.

“As extreme weather strikes the island, immediate local efforts are crucial for securing the future of Socotra’s frankincense trees,” states Mohammed Amer, a local Boswellia specialist involved in the red list evaluation and currently overseeing the conservation project for these trees on Socotra.