Miraculous Mycelium

HOW IS MYCELIUM FORMED?

Mycelium forms when mushroom spores germinate and develop filaments that form a sophisticated network of neurological membranes. Mycelium has many things in common with humans. Its membranes have stomachs, as well as lungs that inhale oxygen. Mycelium also has similar pathogens – such as bacteria. Thanks to fungi, human beings obtained their first antibiotic – penicillin. As mycelia grow, they fuse with other mycelia in the soil, forming small gaps where water collects and microbial communities thrive. By maintaining a solid structure within the soil, they reduce erosion while keeping the earth moist and full of nutrients.

THE ORIGINS OF MYCELIUM

Around 1.3 billion years ago – hundreds of million years prior to the arrival of plants – fungi left the oceans and colonised the land, breaking down rock into soil (mycelium contains acids that decompose rock). Without mycelium, the forest floor would be covered in dead plant matter, since it breaks down organic matter into vital nutrients for plant growth.

PLANTS AND TREES NEED MYCELIUM TO GROW

Around 95% of the world’s plant species form ‘mycorrhizal relationships’ (symbiotic associations) with fungi. As mycelium grows in the earth, it mines minerals such as potassium, calcium, copper, phosphorus, and zinc, making them available to plants. Moreover, when mycelium colonises the roots

Mushroom foraging is a revered hobby for those who know how mysterious, colourful, and delicious the world of fungi can be. Of course, mushrooms are just the fruiting body of fungi; they are their visible, most ‘glamorous’ part. Beneath them, however, lies what for many is the most impressive part of fungi: the mycelium — a complex network of thread-like filaments that may hold the

key to the Planet’s survival. WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS

of a plant or tree, it triggers the production of specific chemicals that enable plants and trees to defend themselves against threats. Mycelium fixes carbon underground, with researchers finding that up to 70 per cent of the carbon found in soil comes from the residual cell walls of its filaments. Trees and plants use this CO2 to make sugars that they feed to mycelia, so it’s definitely a win-win situation.

MYCELIUM IS SENTIENT

Mycologist, Paul Stamets, has called mycelium a “sentient membrane” because it is aware of and responsive to changes in the environment. When people, wild animals, or insects walk on the forest floor, it senses and responds to their movements, ‘jumping up’ to grab debris. Mycelium also enables trees to ‘talk’ to each other. A University of Reading study showed that Douglas fir trees recognise the root tips of their relatives and favour them when sending carbon and nutrients through the mycelial network. Stamets appropriately calls mycelium “the Earth’s natural Internet.”

MYCELIUM IS MASSIVE AND MIGHTY

One single cubic inch of soil (16.3cm3) can contain over 13km of mycelial cells. The largest living organism, located in Eastern Oregon, is a 2,000-year-old mycelial mat measuring 890 hectares. Despite being only one cell wall thick, mycelium is ultra-strong. Stamets states, “In the right conditions, mycelium produces a mushroom – it bursts through with such ferocity that it can break asphalt.”

HOW CAN FUNGI SAVE THE WORLD?

If you are intrigued by mycelium, watch Stamets’ 2008 TED Talk, Six Ways Mushrooms Can Save the World. The uses of mycelium include: Z CLEANING UP OIL SPILLS: An experiment by Stamets found that mycelium absorbs oil, breaking carbon-hydrogen bonds and remanufacturing it into carbohydrates. The latter attract insects, which in turn provide food for birds. As birds drop vegetation seeds, new ecosystems are born. Z ABSORBING POLLUTION ON FARMS: Stamets placed burlap sacks filled with debris and mycelium downstream from farms to filter runoff. This filter reduced bacterial numbers 10,000 times over. Z FIGHTING DISEASE: The fungal species agarikon, which is rare in old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest (U.S.) is highly active against pox and flu viruses. Saving old-growth forests, Stamets notes, is “a matter of national defence” as the threat of biological warfare looms ahead. Z MAKING INSECTICIDES: When ants eat sporeless mycelium, they die and mummify and a mushroom grows out of their head. As these mushrooms mature, they produce spores, which repel ants – making them an excellent natural insecticide. Z CREATING FUEL: Mycelium converts cellulose into fungal sugars that can potentially be used to replace fossil fuels. Z SAVING THE PLANET: Anyone can make a cardboard ‘life box’ with fungal spores, soils, and water. This creates a rich environment to plant seeds like corn, onions, and beans. You can also use tree seeds to grow an old-growth forest from this box.

Mycelium has various uses – it is used to make vegan building structures, create sustainable packaging, and make clothing. In many ways, it is one of nature’s most powerful allies in the battle against climate change because it absorbs large amounts of CO2 and enables plants and trees to survive. Current times are revealing that we additionally need compounds that are highly resistant to bacteria. In many ways, investing in mycelium is key to our survival. e