There is fungus among us!
by Nicole Flynn
If you spend time outside, you have noticed wild mushrooms that seem to appear out of thin air. You swear they were not there when you left for work! They were, you just could not see them. But the conditions of the day were just right for the stalk to emerge and the cap to open up. Summertime with its longer days, heat and humidity makes mushrooms happy. They range from microscopic to enormous enough to cover portions of the forest floor.
We all know better than to pick them and add them to tonight's salad with dinner. At least I hope we do... Be safe and buy them in the store - PLEASE!
Mushrooms in many ways are pretty magical. They are related to molds, mildews and rusts. They are produced from organisms called mycelium that are typically hidden in organic matter such as soil and dead wood. While they are still hidden, the mycelium secretes enzymes that digest organic matter. In the photo above, is a perfect example of mushrooms doing what they do. In the beginning of Spring, that tree stump was covered in bark. I slowly started to notice the bark falling off, and literally disappearing. I came home from work one day to find all of these mushrooms growing around the base of the stump. So I began reading up on what was taking place and it is pretty cool if you ask me!
Mushrooms are incredibly complex organisms, and very important to the ecosystem. They are constantly working. Many fungi decompose the skeletal tissue of wood - there is no other organism that can do this. Once the wood is decomposed, the nutrients are returned back into the soil. Fungus in the trees root system increases the roots water absorption and intake of certain minerals. The same goes for the mushrooms in your lawn. The grass and soil are benefiting from the mushrooms working their magic. They are creating nitrogen in the soil as well.
There are some fungi and mushrooms that infect and kill things - insects, trees and yes, people. Certain types of Fungus cause disease for insects, trees, plants and again, people.
It truly is fascinating how it all goes full circle... Think about it.
If you want to read more about mushrooms and how to identify them, check out this awesome website completely dedicated to fungi! Americanmushrooms.com
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