It’s hard to believe now, but this April started out pretty dry. There wasn’t much life out, apart
from the noisy robins and cardinals, singing from trees without leaves. However, if you looked
closely, you could see a different kind of life emerging from the leaf litter. All across the Natural
Lands fungi woke up before the plants and animals. Many of these organisms have close
relationships with plants.
The fungal mycorrhizae–which are like their roots–wrap around the roots of plants.
Usually, the plant gives the fungus sugars and water, while the fungus gives the plant inorganic
minerals. Perhaps the closest relationship between a fungus and a plant, or at least a plant-like
organism, is the lichen. Lichens are fungal colonies with a symbiotic colony of green algae and
or cyanobacteria living in them, from which they get their many colors. The fungal component of
the lichen relies on the photosynthetic byproducts made by the photobiont. The most widely
recognizable form of lichen–foliose–are the flat ones with leaf-like structures. Some species you
can expect to run into in the Natural Lands include rosette lichens, which are gray and leaf-like,
and hooded sunburst lichens, which look like clusters of tiny yellow cups. The ones that look like
drying splashes of paint are referred to as crustose lichens. One very easily identified type of
crustose lichen is the white-wash lichen, which looks like a place where someone spat out their
toothpaste after brushing! And if this toothpaste had been orange and if it was cracking into little
fragments, then you might have come across the dramatically named sulfur fire-dot lichen!

Not all plants uphold their end of the bargain. For example, ghost pipe is a parasitic
flower in the heath family. They lack chlorophyll, and thus rely on the hyphal networks that
connect them to the trees for sustenance. Dutchman’s pipe is another closely related plant which
does the same thing. Ghost pipe is a very pale shade of white except for tiny pink flowers at the
end of its stem, and looks just like its namesake. The Dutchman’s pipe looks the same, but is a
light pink.
And sometimes a fungus will give something extra to a plant! The mushroom Laccaria
bicolor is a hunter! It traps and eats springtails–primitive arthropods closely related to insects.
The nitrogen from the springtails is then given to the plant! Researchers hypothesize that the
springtails and other creatures may, if too abundant, deprive plants of necessary nutrients. The
fungi, by passing digestive byproducts from these animals, are giving the plants back their
nutrients. This is interesting because most carnivorous plants exist in similarly nitrogen deprived
conditions, although in this case the fungus is doing the work for the plant! In fact, plants that
have a relationship with Laccaria bicolor derive 25% of their nitrogen from the fungus! Sadly,
this fascinating fungus can not be found in our Natural Lands. However, the shaggy mane
mushroom, which eats nematodes, can be found in the Natural Lands! It looks like a white or
grey umbrella with flakes peeling off! Oyster mushrooms also eat nematodes! These are
step-mushrooms and look like rubbery shelves coming off of the sides of wood!
Sometimes fungi will turn on a plant. Many mushrooms in the genus Armillaria will start
consuming weak, undernourished trees. Once a tree is dead these parasites will expand to other
trees from the dead stump. Mushrooms in these genus also develop extensive hyphal networks,
with some being considered the largest organisms on Earth! One species in this genus, known as
the honey mushroom, can be identified by its smooth, golden caps.

In conclusion, fungi are everywhere and very significant! Although very simple, these
incredible organisms have developed a wide range of unique survival strategies. They may be
inconspicuous, but they are everywhere! An appreciation of the interconnectedness of fungi
reminds us of how interdependent all of the pieces of the environment are.

SOURCE:

“Hypopitys monotropa (Pinesap).” Minnesota Wildflowers.
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/pinesap

“Minnesota Lichens.” Minnesota Seasons.
http://www.minnesotaseasons.com/Main/Lichens.html

Barron, G.; Thorn, R. “Destruction of nematodes by species of Pleurotus”. Canadian Journal of
Botany Vol. 65, Iss. 4 (November 4, 1987): 774–778. doi:10.1139/b87-103.

Daley, Jason. “This Humongous Fungus Is as Massive as Three Blue Whales.” Smithsonian
Magazine. October 15, 2018.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mushroom-massive-three-blue-whales-180970549
/

DeLay, Chantelle. “Ghost Pipe (Monotropa uniflora L.).” U.S. Forest Service.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/monotropa_uniflora.shtml

Grabowski, Michelle; Kanner, Cynthia. “Armillaria root rot.” University of Minnesota
Extension. 2018. Armillaria root rot | UMN Extension