Lecture 6 - Fungi

Question 1

General

Answer 1

• “chemists”: are able to digest by secreting enzymes and acids
• take up O₂ through diffusion and release CO₂
• unique energy storage
• ergasterol + sunlight = Vit D
• two types of forms:

1. single cells fungi that release by clonal budding (yeast)
2. mycelium, hyphae network of connecting cell tissue (99% of fungi)

• life cycle: spore lands, grows hyphae, builds mycelium, extract nutrients, grows until it produces spores and fruiting body
• fruiting body is just condensed mycellium
• categorized by the way they reproduce

Question 2

Important phyla

Answer 2

• glomeromycota: soil dwelling non-mushroom forming (AM)
• ascomycota: include most known species, from yeast to shanterelles
• basidiomycota: majority of edible/gourmet mushroom forming species

Question 3

Fungal history

Answer 3

• first larger organized organisms were lychens
• symbiosis of algae + fungi that
• endophytes: fungi/bacteria found in every plant, not causing harm
• all plants have evolved in symbiosis with fungi
• fungi found on the sea floor, digesting and breaking down organic matter just like in soil
  *

Question 4

Fungi categories

Answer 4

1. Mycorrhizal: mutualists with plant roots
2. Endophytic: live inside of plants
3. Saphrotic: decomposers
4. Pathogenic: parasites, pests

Question 5

Mycorrhizal fungi

Answer 5

• critical for plant health
• 95% of land plants form mycorrhiza
• arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM): form little trees inside root cells, generalists
• ectomycorrhizae (EcM): don’t penetrate the cells, just go into intracellular space, form edible mushroom, connect multiple mycorrhizaes together
• ericoid: Ericacae, that usually live in very acidic soils that don’t allow for nutrient availability
• orchid mycorrhizae: essential for orchids in beginning stages

Question 6

Endophytic fungi

Answer 6

• not much known (only 2-5% named so far)
• shown to increase drought tolerance
• Peter doen’t recommend innoculating randomly with endophytes since we don’t know enough yet

Question 8

Saprophytic fungi

Answer 8

• fungi are able to decompose almost everything (even plastics)
• different niches (fresh wood, bark, amnure, etc.)

Question 9

Pathogenic fungi

Answer 9

• fungi that live and feed of living organisms like plants or animals
• Peter prefers them “vocal fungi” as they tell us about problems and certain conditions
• can also be seen as pre-pioneers to wipe out sick plants
• understand which trees honey mushrooms was selecting and why

Question 10

Lychens

Answer 10

• “nutrient sponges”
• fall off the tree and then get decomposed
• that way they bring lots of nutrients into the soil
• very sensitive to air pollution

Question 11

Usage Examples of Fungi

Answer 11

• Cultivating and scaling up endemic mycorrhizae
• Composting + Stropharia ruggosoannulata: can turn hard to compost material into humus within a year, edible mushrooms
• Brassicacea + hypsizygus ulmarius: increases rootball size
• Trichoderma harzianum/viride + compost: controls pathogenic fungi populations and therefore protects roots, helps breaking down compost
• Hugelculture + Ganoderma lucidum
• Shiitake logs + next to pond: easy to soak for fruiting
• Incoorporating Fungal Layer into designs: add this layer like shrubs, etc.