Fungi Field Trip by Lana Alabyeva

Fungi Field Trip by Lana Alabyeva

On the afternoon of April 18^th, our lab explored Pine Ridge Park in search of fungal organisms. Korena, a graduate student at the University of Washington, led this expedition.

Initially, she started off by talking about mycorrhizal fungi and its extensive presence in the forest. She then went on and provided an example, in the form of lichen. This is a combination of two or three organisms, typically algal cells and mycorrhizal fungi, and sometimes cyanobacteria, all living in a symbiotic relationship. Lichen can be found on an extensive amount of surfaces in the forest, like trees and stones—as seen in the photo below. Additionally, lichen tends to be very old if it is visible, as it grows at a slow rate. Also seen in the photo is a black patch, which is characteristic of a fungus that is sickening the tree. Korena described this type of fungi’s infection path; as it goes up through the tree roots and into the bark, it eats the bark and creates the black fruiting body that we see.

The spotted and dry brown spots on the leaves below are an indicator of a pathogenic fungus that is damaging the plant—also known as leaf blight. Korena mentioned that most blight is very plant-specific. Previously, I thought that spots like these were just the plant drying out. This just goes to show how prevalent fungi really are.

We also had the chance to observe the fruiting bodies of Basidiomycetes. One kind was a conk, growing on a dead tree. The extensive fungal network within the log is probably performing decomposition, as several Basidiomycetes are known for their ability to digest lignin, found in wood. This fruiting body also has pores rather than gills, where basidiospores are produced.

Another Basidiomycete in the Amanita family, that seems to be partially eaten. The cap is still curled over the stem, ring, and gills, so they are not visible in the photo. Korena mentioned that this mushroom, and most of those in the Amanita family, are not so great for consumption. Some Amanita can even kill, like the notorious death cap. Despite these dangerous connotations, this mushroom has a huge mycelial network throughout the forest. It lives in a symbiotic relationship with the trees, for which it provides nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus and receives sugars in return.

Taking a field trip through this forest was a great experience, because it has made me more aware of the diversity of fungi around us. I also think it’s useful being able to identify what we see, as well as understand the relationships fungi has with plants and animals. Overall, it was great getting out of the lab to see things firsthand, rather than just staring at slides.