To Restore an Island Paradise, Add Fungi
6 hours ago
- #Ecosystem Restoration
- #Mycorrhizal Fungi
- #Conservation
- Conservationists have worked for two decades on Palmyra Atoll to remove invasive coconut palms and restore native species, with a new study suggesting native fungi could be key to this restoration.
- Invasive palms, introduced in the 19th century for coconut oil production, and later black rats introduced by the U.S. military, severely disrupted Palmyra's ecosystem by displacing native trees and preying on wildlife.
- Efforts by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have included eradicating black rats in 2011 and removing 1.5 million coconut palms by 2022, but restoring native Pisonia trees may require reintroducing rare mycorrhizal fungi unique to the atoll.
- Researchers discovered unique fungi in soil samples and identified potential transplantation sites, with coauthor Toby Kiers emphasizing that successful restoration must involve both native plants and fungi.
- Invasive palms on Pacific atolls threaten native flora and increase vulnerability to sea-level rise, as native forests support seabirds whose guano nourishes coral reefs, linking fungi, trees, birds, and reefs in a fragile ecological chain.