The image above shows Super Science Sampler campers (3) examining seeds that they planted in simulated Moon soil (known in scientific circles as simulated regolith). Earth soil and Moon regolith are completely different. Earth soil has weathered mineral particles, water, microbial life and organic matter. On the other hand, Moon regolith is made up of fine jagged mineral particles (read, no weathering) and no water,  microbial life or organic matter. Furthermore regolith has substantial amounts of aluminum, iron and titanium all of which are toxic to plants. (1)

Seeds and plants do not survive in lunar regolith alone and so the regolith must be bioremediated. This summer we are going to experiment with adding vermicompost in the form of earthworm castings and five-strain granules of fungi.

There are strains of fungi here on Earth that have a symbiotic relationship with plant life. Collectively they are called arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and they cooperate with some 80% of all plant life! (2) They provide water, nutrients and pathogen protection in exchange for carbon rich sugars and carbohydrates that plants create via photosynthesis. Here is a fun resource that shows this a stunning visual way at Spun.earth (6)

Let’s break it down (5)

• arbuscular from the Latin arbuscula or little tree, and in this case referring to the branching aspect of trees
• mycorrhizal from the Greek words for mushroom, pronounced MY-kēs and root, pronounced RY-zuh

Curiously, the following plants do not participate in this mutual exchange: azalea, beet, blueberry, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage/kale, carnation, cauliflower, collards, cranberry, heath, huckleberry, mustard, protea, rhododendron, sedge and spinach. (4) How might collards fair then, in bioremediated lunar regolith?

The next time someone quips that there is a fungus among us you can confidently proclaim, “Why you have no idea!”

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JOIN US THIS SUMMER!: Space Science or the Space Science Sampler or the Super Science Sampler

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References

1. Atkin, J. Using fungi for the bioremediation of lunar regolith. Nat Rev Earth Environ 6, 550 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-025-00691-w

2. Berruti A, Lumini E, Balestrini R, Bianciotto V. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi as Natural Biofertilizers: Let’s Benefit from Past Successes. Front Microbiol. 2016 Jan 19;6:1559. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.01559. PMID: 26834714; PMCID: PMC4717633.

3. Photo credit Greg Dancer 2022

4. Dunn, B., Singh, H., & Leckie, R. (2017, April). Mycorrhizal fungi (HLA-6449). Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. URL

(5) “Mycorrhizas.” Australian National Botanic Gardens, Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, https://www.anbg.gov.au/fungi/mycorrhiza.html. Accessed 17 May 2026.

(6) Society for the Protection of Underground Networks. “Mycorrhizal Fungi.” SPUN. Accessed May 17, 2026. https://www.spun.earth/networks/mycorrhizal-fungi

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