Mushrooms

When we think of mushrooms, we usually think of their fruiting bodies, which develop in favorable weather conditions and last relatively short. However, the fruiting body is only part of a much larger organism whose permanent parts are hidden in the soil.

It is known that fungi, along with bacteria, are the main decomposers in most terrestrial ecosystems. Fungal hyphae secrete enzymes that break down the organic matter of dead organisms into simpler components, making them available to other organisms. Saprophytic fungi are therefore crucial in the processes of carbon and nitrogen cycling and the reduction of accumulated dead organic matter in the ecosystem.

On the other hand, parasitic fungi attack the living tissue of the host (e.g. weakened and old trees) causing disease and potential death of the host. Parasitic fungi play a significant role in natural selection, life cycles and increasing the diversity of forest habitats.

Of particular importance is the role of fungi in the formation of mycorrhiza, a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and a plant, in which the mycelium of the fungus connects with the root system of the plant. Mycorrhiza is of immense importance for life on land because almost 90% of plant species live in mycorrhiza, and a large number of fungi and plant species (e.g. kaćuni) cannot live without their mycorrhizal partners. It has been established that the underground network of hyphae in the forest connects the root systems of different plant species, conducting nutrients, water and chemical signals (!) between trees, and even trees of different species. This only confirms that the forest needs to be viewed comprehensively, as a whole in which all organisms are interconnected.