A University of Michigan study suggests that fungal life deep below Earth's surface is much more widespread than previously understood. According to the findings, rocks and water hundreds of feet underground are home to fungi and other tiny organisms, revealing a complex subsurface ecosystem.
The research points to fungal communities living nearly a third of a mile down, expanding the picture of where life can thrive. Instead of being sparse or isolated, these underground environments appear to support active microbial networks in places long thought to be far less biologically rich.
That matters beyond biology alone. Because fungi can influence how carbon moves through ecosystems, a larger-than-expected underground fungal presence could affect scientific estimates of carbon storage below the surface. The study therefore connects deep subsurface life to broader questions about Earth's carbon cycle.
The findings add to growing evidence that the deep underground is not an empty zone but a living system with important environmental consequences. By showing that fungi are abundant far beneath the surface, the study may prompt researchers to revisit how subterranean ecosystems are included in carbon storage models.
