Deep Beneath the Great Lakes, a Hidden World of Fungi and Tardigrades Emerges
TL;DR
Researchers drilling into the Antrim Shale beneath the Great Lakes found a vibrant underground ecosystem: 689 fungal species (including 13 new ones) alongside tardigrades and worms, forming a subterranean food web fed by ancient organic matter. Isotopic dating links the water to the Ice Age, last in contact with surface about 11,000 years ago, suggesting deep subsurface biodiversity may be underestimated and could influence carbon cycling.
- The Great Lakes Are Hiding a Secret Underworld of Tardigrades and Rock-Eating Fungi Gizmodo
- An entire world of fungi nearly a third of a mile underground could affect carbon storage estimates Phys.org
- A vast world of rock-eating fungi lurks deep underneath the Great Lakes Popular Science
- Predators, prey and parasites discovered 1,640ft below North America's Great Lakes BBC Wildlife Magazine
- Fungi (IMAGE) EurekAlert!
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