What is the role played by fungi in the ecosystem?

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If you talk about mushrooms, the first thing that comes to mind - the autumn woods, quiet hunting.You can still remember the yeast, cheese and penicillin.But on the role played by fungi in the ecosystem, why do I need nature, few people think.Let's talk about this.

Harm or benefit?

is said that if you put on one scale benefits that people get from these organisms, and on the other - they damage the bowl balanced.While speaking about the role played by fungi in the ecosystem, so you can not put the question.Nature is important and necessary to all.

-finding mushrooms mycology science is considered one of the sections of Botany.But mushrooms have long been isolated in a separate kingdom.That is, there is the kingdom of plants and separately - the kingdom of fungi.

One of the main features is that a structural carbohydrate in the composition of the cell wall of these organisms - chitin.He is part of the exoskeleton of insects, arthropods.Chitin has interesting properties, one of which - the ability to excrete human harmful substances, to reduce cholesterol.At the same time, due to a severe food mushrooms are considered.Children up to 6-7 years it is better not to give nursing mothers also better not to have them.The enzyme system of the child can not cope with such a product.

What nature mushrooms need?

One of their main functions - decomposition, recycling of organic residues.As a result of biodegradation of dead plants and animals in the natural cycle of returning carbon and minerals.

Mushrooms are involved in the processes of soil formation, affect their structure, composition and even temperature.After all, when the temperature rises rotting remains of decaying.It is well known to gardeners who grow vegetables on warm beds.

Mushrooms throughout his life creating biomass of mycelium and fruiting bodies (that we know from childhood as the amanita, russula, birch and others.).They eat not only people, but also insects and various animals.

Gribokoren

invaluable importance in the creation of mycorrhizal fungi.It turns out that not only destroy fungi trees, but may be useful for them.The widespread nature of the phenomenon of symbiosis - favorable for both organisms coexistence.

mycorrhiza forms Association of mycelium strands and roots of trees.Mushroom receives from the higher plant nutrients in an accessible form and, in turn, helps him to extract water and phosphorus from the soil.In fact, there are additional tree roots.

mycorrhiza may be external, surrounding the roots, and may also penetrate.Between the cells of the two organisms is an active metabolism.What is the role played by fungi in the ecosystem in this case?Forest Life without them is simply impossible, especially in arid areas.

On the brink of survival

In places where the climate is harsh and the vegetation is very sparse, mushrooms form a symbiotic community, not from trees and algae, known as lichens.They can be found in the tundra and desert, on the rocks, buildings, tree bark - where seemingly no life conditions.But even mushroom extract water from the air, from the dew point, and converts the light alga carbon dioxide into organic food for both.

habitation new spaces, working hours in these places of organic - that is another meaning of fungi in nature.

Mushrooms predators

By way of life and way of eating the mushrooms are divided into:

  • soil saprophytes (mushroom, Clitocybe, morel);
  • ksilofily parasitizing living or decomposing dead trees (real honey agaric, bracket fungus);
  • mycorrhizal, creating a symbiotic relationship with the roots of plants (White, boletus, the flywheel).

on dung heaps mushrooms Coprophilia live on big fires - karbofily.

And some fungi can "hunt".Their prey can be amoeba, insects, nematodes.The filaments of the fungus adheres to the victim, wrap mucus, some are even able to strangle her, then germinate into and feed on it.This is another example of the role played by fungi in the ecosystem.

huge and multi

Visible to the human world of mushrooms is a tiny fraction of the existing diversity of their species.Mushrooms, photos and names familiar since childhood - a mushroom, white, honey agaric, russula, pale grebe and many others.They - in the children's colorings and cookbooks, reference books on emergency medicine and pharmacology textbooks.Mushrooms for a man can be a gourmet food and deadly poison, able to treat and cause disease, save and destroy crops, making unsuitable housing.

with mushrooms began the era of antibiotics in medicine.Now more and more evidence is use to lift immunity, fight cancer lingzhi mushroom, Cordyceps, Shiitake and others.

These are our visible and invisible, necessary and dangerous neighbors.