Environmental Studies and Forestry

Fungal communities decline with urbanization—more in air than in soil

N. Abrego, B. Crosier, et al.

This study reveals a striking decline in fungal communities due to urbanization, with air samples showing even lower diversity than soil. Conducted by Nerea Abrego and collaborators, this research highlights the potential of aerial fungal analysis as an indicator of urban ecosystem health.

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Abstract

This study investigates the impact of urbanization on fungal communities in both air and soil. Researchers found significantly lower fungal DNA abundance and diversity in urban areas compared to natural areas, with a fivefold reduction observed at a 1km scale from natural to urban habitats. Surprisingly, the decline in fungal diversity was even more pronounced in the air than in the soil, despite the greater dispersal potential of airborne spores. This suggests that aerial fungal community analysis is a reliable bioindicator of ecosystem health in urban environments.

Publisher

Springer Nature

Published On

Aug 05, 2020

Authors

Nerea Abrego, Brittni Crosier, Panu Somervuo, Natalia Ivanova, Arusyak Abrahamyan, Amir Abdi, Karoliina Hämäläinen, Kaisa Junninen, Minna Maunula, Jenna Purhonen, Otso Ovaskainen

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