Everything about Mycelia totally explained
Mycelium is the vegetative part of a
fungus, consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like
hyphae. The mass of hyphae is sometimes called
shiro, especially within the
fairy ring fungi. Fungal colonies composed of mycelia are found in soil and on or in many other substrates. Mycelium may form
fruiting bodies such as
mushrooms. A mycelium may be minute, forming a colony that's too small to see, or it may be extensive:
It is through the mycelium that a fungus absorbs
nutrients from its environment. It does this in a two stage process. Firstly the
hyphae secrete
enzymes onto the food source, which breaks down
polymers into
monomers. These monomers are then absorbed into the mycelium by
facilitated diffusion and
active transport.
Mycelium is vital in terrestrial and aquatic
ecosystems for its role in the
decomposition of plant material. It contributes to the organic fraction of soil and its growth releases
carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. The mycelium of
mycorrhizal fungi increases the efficiency of water and nutrient absorption of most plants and confers resistance to some plant pathogens. Mycelium is an important food source for many soil invertebrates.
Sclerotia are compact or hard masses of mycelium.
Uses
One of the primary roles of fungi in an ecosystem is to
decompose organic compounds.
Petroleum products and
pesticides that can be contaminants of soil are organic molecules. Fungi therefore should have potential to remove such
pollutants from the soil environment, a process known as
bioremediation.
Mycelial mats have been suggested (see
Paul Stamets) as having potential as biological filters, removing chemicals and
microorganisms from soil and water. The use of fungal mycelia to accomplish this has been termed "
mycofiltration", although there's no reason to suspect that the process is any different from that of bioremediation using fungi.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Mycelia'.
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