Despite extensive scientific endeavors, only a fraction of the world’s species richness, particularly among insects and fungi, is known. Millions of species remain undiscovered as the loss of biodiversity accelerates at an unprecedented pace. Researchers are racing against time to uncover this hidden diversity and devise conservation strategies.
“Air is a real treasure trove for nature research,” states Academy Research Fellow Nerea Abrego from the University of Jyväskylä. “It contains DNA from plants, fungi, bacteria, insects, mammals, and other organisms.”
Abrego spearheaded a groundbreaking study published in Nature, where DNA sequencing was employed to identify fungi from air samples collected globally. This research offers novel insights into the climatic and evolutionary factors affecting both known and unknown fungi, and their seasonal variations.
“Understanding the habitats and timings of fungal species is important for predicting their future under global change,” Abrego emphasizes.
Revolutionary Biodiversity Sampling Techniques
Academy Professor Otso Ovaskainen, also from the University of Jyväskylä, participated in this research. He believes that innovative biodiversity sampling techniques will revolutionize biomonitoring and forecasting in the near future. Ovaskainen is leading a follow-up project utilizing DNA, images, and audio to study fungi, insects, mammals, birds, bats, and frogs across hundreds of global locations.
“The samples we’ve collected include over a million insect species, far exceeding the number described by science,” Ovaskainen remarks. “Analyzing this enormous dataset is challenging, with over a century’s worth of sound recordings, millions of camera trap images, and billions of DNA sequences.”
Ovaskainen and Abrego’s multidisciplinary team focuses on developing advanced statistical modeling, bioinformatics, and artificial intelligence methods to utilize these new types of biodiversity data for precise forecasting.
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Implications for Fungal Diseases and Ecosystem Monitoring
Given that most fungi spread through the air, the study included a diverse range of species, from boletes and russulas to lichens, bracket fungi, molds, and yeasts.
“One intriguing avenue for further research is a detailed analysis of fungi significant to humans,” Abrego notes. “This includes fungal diseases affecting humans, crops, and livestock, as well as fungi that indicate the degradation of natural ecosystems.”
Abrego is leading a project incorporating air sampling and other innovative research methods into Finland’s national forest inventory, coordinated by the Natural Resources Institute Finland. Funded by the Finnish Ministry of the Environment, this project aims to provide comprehensive data on natural diversity, focusing on previously understudied fungi and insects, to inform decision-making processes.
