A hotspot mismatch is a lack of overlap between: aboveground and belowground biodiversity. Meaning that while biodiversity may be high in either an above- or belowground ecosystem, that does mean it is high in both. This means that assumptions cannot be made based on one or the other.

A hotspot mismatch is problematic because conservation plans focused on plants risk leaving out critical fungal diversity that supports healthy ecosystems. Less than 9% of AM (arbuscular mycorrhizal) hotspots and only 1.5% of EcM (ectomycorrhizal) hotspots overlap with plant hotspots.

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