Fungi

When you think of a fungus, you probably picture a cap on a stalk in the forest. But that is only a tiny part. Fungi form a kingdom of living things all their own, standing alongside animals and plants. And they do something almost nobody notices, yet everyone needs.

A kingdom of their own

Fungi used to be counted among the plants. Today we know that is wrong. Fungi have no chlorophyll and cannot do photosynthesis. They cannot build their food from light on their own. That is why they form a kingdom of their own, separate from plants and animals.

Nature's decomposers

Since fungi make no food of their own, they get their nutrients from dead leaves, wood, and remains. In doing so they break the material down into its building blocks. Without these decomposers, old leaves would soon pile up meters deep on the forest floor. Fungi set the substances free again so that new plants can grow from them.

The fungal network

The actual fungus sits in the soil. It is made of fine threads that spread far through the earth and form a dense network. Experts call this network the mycelium. The cap we see is only the part that scatters the spores. These are tiny grains from which a new fungus can grow somewhere else. A mycelium can live for many years and become astonishingly large. In one forest in Oregon a single network runs through almost 10 square kilometers of soil.

Partners of the roots

Many fungi live in close partnership with plant roots. The fungus wraps around the root and gives it water and minerals. In return it receives sugar from the plant's photosynthesis. Both of them gain from this. Such a life together for mutual benefit is called symbiosis.