Ecological roles of fungi include saprobic species for –Plant resources –Processed plant resources pathogenic species for hosts

Importance of fungi to soil biomass

Dung successions Recycle nutrients from major nutrient resource Basis of a food web: fungi  invertebrates Succession of fungal groups: zygomycete  ascomycete  basidiomycete Time to sporulation  even spore distribution

Coprophilous fungi Spore dispersal mechanisms – some fungi are dependent on being eaten for their dispersal ~ 175 species of ascomycetes are largely or exclusively found on dung Herbivore NOT carnivore … why? Some fungi are dependent on dung for growth factors, e. g. Pilobolus (cap thrower)

Pilobolus crystallinus Orienting mechanism Positive prototropism Sporangium release and attachment Nutritional requirements

The humungous fungus A. bulbosa, 15 ha in northern Michigan A. ostoyae, 900 ha in Oregon A single individual?

Proving the size of a single very large subterranean fungus Bait soil with wooden sticks Collect fruiting bodies Grow mycelium and mate in Petri dishes DNA fingerprinting

Rhizomorphs contribute to the success of Armillaria species some of the largest individuals on earth Rhizomorphs: rootlike mycelial strands Support spread between localized nutrient sources Alan Rayner, A century of mycology

Armillaria species are tree root pathogens ossary/PhotosN-R/rhizomorph.htm mycorrhiza.ag.utk.edu/hawkins_rhizom1.jpg

Armillaria basidiocarps

Successions on conifer needles Lophodermium pinastri – can colonize living needles as an endophyte; fruits after needlefall  Fusicoccum pycnidia attack centre of needle Thysanophora Thysanophora sclerotia 

Serpula lacrymans causes “dry rot” nyhedsbreve/oktober2000.htm eng/projekte/print/pdj2004.htm

Serpula rhizomorphs and “dry rot” schimmel.htm images/dryrot2.jpg ‘brown rot’ fungi degrade cellulose, but not lignin

Dry rot Rhizomorphs transport water from damp to dry areas Causes invaded wood to dry and crack Can penetrate but not feed on masonry Sensitive to warm dry environments