Under the Alerce Trees: A Hidden Fungal Ecosystem

Science Update from ICR · Apr 13, 2026

Some of the oldest living trees on Earth are in the temperate rainforests of the Chilean Coast Range. Second only to the bristlecone pine in age, these endangered, slow-growing alerce trees (Fitzroya cupressoides) shelter an impressive assortment of hidden fungal life underground.1 In fact, a recent study investigates how these trees and fungi support one another.2

Mycorrhizal fungal communities are f... More...