It has been more than a month of seemingly relentless rainfall; this was the waterlogged scene yesterday morning near the entrance to the site. After a grey and damp start the sun actually came out to make a pleasant day on the plot.
Some interesting fungi have been popping up in the past few weeks of February rains. Here are some ‘fun facts’ about these mysterious organisms about which
I know almost nothing! It seems that humans and fungi are actually more closely related to each other than they are to plants, as they share a common ancestor around 1.5 billion years ago.
‘The visible component of a fungus is the reproductive structure; an example of which is a mushroom. These structures produce spores which upon dispersal give rise to new fungi. The reproductive structure is only a fraction of the total fungus. The main body of the fungus, in most cases, is made up of many fine threads called hyphae that group together to form a vast network called mycelium. Mycelium exist behind the scenes in the soil, amongst dead organic matter, and in plants.
93% of the world’s fungal species are yet to be discovered/described.
Scientists have found that the fungal mycelium network below ground provides a method of communication between plants, otherwise known as the ‘wood wide web’.’ (Grace Brewer The Wonderful World of Fungi 31.10.19 https://www.kew.org )
‘Fungi are primary decomposers, meaning they break down organic matter, cycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. Without fungi, there would be no soil, and the world might buried under dead wood! Fungi possess a wide range of enzymes that they use to start the decomposition process. They are key to breaking down the complex molecule, lignin that gives trees their strong, woody structure.
As fungi are incredibly adaptable, they are great tools for bioremediation. This is the breakdown of environmental pollutants using deliberately introduced microorganisms. Fungi can break down petroleum, metals, dyes, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, bleach and even pesticides. Oyster mushrooms are commonly used to clear up oil spills. It is believed that fungi’s potential for bioremediation – or mycoremediation as it is known – is only beginning to be understood.
The largest organism in the world (by area) is a fungus. A species of honey fungus (Armillaria ostoyae) discovered in 1998 was estimated to cover roughly 2,384 acres of Oregon Forest. The fungus has survived for over 2,400 years, surviving on living and dead wood.

Fungi have a key role in cleaning the planet. Without the decomposing activities of saprotrophic fungi, we would disappear under a mountain of unrotted dead leaves and logs! Saprotrophic fungi produce enzymes that allow them to decompose the tough compounds found in plant cell walls: cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin. Some wood-decaying fungi can also decompose lignin. These processes enable the recycling and recovery of large amounts of nutrient resources (particularly carbon and nitrogen) from dead organic matter. What’s more, over 100 species of fungi have been found to degrade plastics, with two species being able to breakdown samples of plastics within 140 days.’ (What Are Fungi? Discover the Amazing World of Fungi https://ecologytraining.co.uk)
Extraordinary life forms!

Jenny Bourne
16.02.26