Researchers used a novel method called MycoPins to study how fungi colonize and break down small pieces of dead wood in Finnish boreal forests. By placing sterilized wooden pins in the soil and analyzing the fungal DNA that colonized them over a year, they identified over 200 fungal species that play important roles in wood decomposition and nutrient cycling. The study compared how fungal communities differed in forests exposed to reindeer grazing versus protected areas, revealing how land management practices influence these hidden fungal ecosystems.