The Hidden Kingdom of Fungi

 

The Hidden Kingdom of Fungi

Written by Kristine Manganelli (Somerset County 4-H Coordinator)

Mushrooms Growing in a Forest

Mushrooms Growing in a Forest

After an incredibly dry summer, rainy weather has turned the ground wet and soggy, the perfect environment to discover the magical world of fungi! Late summer and early autumn provide optimal conditions for fungi to grow, so get out in your yard and see what you can find!

Scientists divide living creatures into categories called kingdoms. For much of human history fungi were classified as plants. We now know that they also share characteristics with the animal kingdom, but they don’t neatly fit into either category. So fungi were assigned their own separate kingdom entirely.

Fungi do not share the ability with plants to produce their own food through photosynthesis. In addition, plant cell walls are made up of cellulose while fungi cell walls are made of chitin, the same material of cell walls in arthropods like insects and crustaceans.

The fungi kingdom consists of mushrooms, lichens, molds, mildews, and yeasts. There are over 150,000 species of identified fungi around the world, and likely millions of species yet to be discovered. Fungi are extremely diverse, existing in every color of the rainbow, a rich array of textures, and sizes ranging from microscopic to humongous. The fungi we are most familiar with are Macrofungi, a group that produces capped fruit above ground which we identify generally as mushrooms.

The hidden kingdom of mushrooms consists of far more than the fruit we see emerging from the ground. In fact, they are connected to vast systems of hyphae, or branching threads, underground in the soil or tree on which it grows. The fruit, or mushroom, only develops above ground in favorable conditions, making the ideal time to search for mushrooms in warm, humid weather or after it rains. The purpose of the fruit is to disperse spores in order for the mushroom to reproduce.

Turkey Tail Mushrooms

Turkey Tail Mushrooms

Fungi play a vital role in healthy forest ecosystems as a food source for many animal species to decomposing the forest floor. A type of fungi known as saprobic fungi, releases enzymes that aid in the break down process of organic matter before absorbing the nutrients as food. Fungi, Bacteria, and Invertebrates (FBI) known as decomposers work together to break down organic matter such as leaves, branches, and other debris as they feed.

As the fungi and other decomposers help these materials decay, nutrients like nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus are recycled back into the soil, enriching it for future growth. Without decomposers, these nutrients would remain locked in dead matter on the ground resulting in a decline of new growth.

Fungi are one of nature’s organisms that benefit other creatures around it just by existing. They are nature’s recyclers, keeping the forest floor clean and healthy by making food from old waste. It reminds me that even microscopic or slimy, rotting things have a significant part to play in the circle of life.

Get Outside

Go for a fungus hike! Print out your own Mini-Field Guide to discover common mushrooms and fungi. It includes a checklist so you can keep track of what you locate, as well as space to draw what you see. Choose a damp day and search in shady areas on the ground in or on the edges of wooded areas. Don’t forget to check on fallen logs and tree trunks. Please only look or take photos of the fungus, do not touch or pick, and NEVER EAT! Certain types of mushrooms found in the wild are dangerous and can make us very sick if ingested! But don’t let that scare you, they are harmless to view and study from a short distance.

Sources:

 
Somerset County 4-H