| Fungi of the Forest | |||
| Common Name: | Mushroom or Fungus | Scientific Name: | |
| Best Seen: | Rainy season, but can be seen throughout the year wherever moist | Native: | Yes. Native of the area |
Click pictures |
Fungi Belong to Fungus Kingdom Fungi are not plants or animals. They belong to their own kingdom, the "Fungus Kingdom," and they come in different physical forms and characteristics. Some fungi are beneficial to humans and some are not. The mushrooms that we eat, for instance, are fungi, but so are athlete's foot and ringworm. Some fungi, like truffles, are considered an expensive, palatable food for humans, while still other fungi, like the Amanita phalloides mushroom are deadly poisonous. Some fungi also cause harm to plants. One of the most detrimental fungi is Phytophthora ramorum, the fungus which causes Sudden Oak Death (SOD). Phytophthora ramorum has caused the death of many native California oak trees. The genus, Phytophthora, also includes other fungal species considered to be some of the leading pathogens of plant diseases. Fungi Lack Chlorophyll Plants contain chlorophyll, the green coloring, that enables them to make their food from carbon dioxide and water in the presence of sunlight. Fungi (along with bacteria and slime molds), however, cannot make their own food because they lack chlorophyll. Since they cannot make their own food, they must use food that's already been produced. They do this either by living on other "alive" organisms (this strategy is called parasitism) or by living on dead organic material (called saprophytism). Some fungi, such as lichen, are mutualists. They form a partnership with another organism so that both the fungus and the other organism can survive. Most Fungi Live On Dead Organic Material The majority of fungi are saprophytes, which live on dead material. In Marcel's Forest, you can see many saprophytes living on the fallen logs of dead trees such as the "conk" fungus photographed on the Douglas-fir log in the second picture. In fact, fungi can live on these logs for many years helping to break down the dead material into nutrients that plants can then use for their own growth. Mycelium is Mass of Hyphae Some fungi are made up of one cell but most are made of branching, filamentous groups of cells called hyphae. Hyphae absorb nutrients and then spread and grow into a mass called mycelium. Mycelium is actually the fruiting body of the fungus that we can see and touch. Most often it grows under the barks of trees or under damp logs. At the Granary, Stump, and Burl (Stop 8), look for the mycelium's white hyphal threads growing near the lignotubers of the redwood trees. Redwood Trees Form Special Relationship with Fungus Redwoods, like other conifers, form a mutual symbiotic relationship with fungus. This means that both the redwood tree and the fungus benefit from the partnership. The relationship results when the hyphae of the fungus forms bladderlike sacs inside the root cell of the tree. Since redwoods don't have root hairs, the spreading hyphae of the mycorrhizae help increase the surface area of the root. By increasing root surface area, the mycorrhizae also help increase the redwood's nutrient and water-absorbing capability. The fungus, in return, receives food from the tree. Fungi Most Often Seen During Wet Season Like the Ohlone of years past, most of today's fungus hunters wait for the wet season before gathering mushrooms. In Marcel's Forest, fungi are seen most often during January through March, near the creek, and at Stops 10-13. Because Marcel's Forest is part of the State Park, mushrooms should not be picked or removed. Mushrooms Can Be Poisonous Don't eat mushrooms that you've found unless you've consulted a mycologist (a person who studies fungi) to see if they're safe to eat. You can touch mushrooms, however. Just wash your hands after handling them. |
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