A fungus (plural: fungi) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and moulds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from the other eukaryotic life kingdoms of plants and animals.
Abundant worldwide, most fungi are inconspicuous because of the small size of their structures, and their cryptic lifestyles in soil or on dead matter. Fungi include symbionts of plants, animals, or other fungi and also parasites. They may become noticeable when fruiting, either as mushrooms or as moulds. Fungi perform an essential role in the decomposition of organic matter and have fundamental roles in nutrient cycling and exchange in the environment.
They have long been used as a direct source of human food, in the form of mushrooms and truffles; as a leavening agent for bread; and in the fermentation of various food products, such as wine, beer, and soy sauce. Since the 1940s, fungi have been used for the production of antibiotics, and, more recently, various enzymes produced by fungi are used industrially and in detergents.
Fungi can break down manufactured materials and buildings, and become significant pathogens of humans and other animals. Losses of crops due to fungal diseases (e.g., rice blast disease) or food spoilage can have a large impact on human food supplies and local economies.
This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.
We have lots of fungi here in the Pacific Northwest and Coastal BC. Some of it is of restaurant quality and mushroom pickers come to our small town to pick and sell immediately to buyers who set up shop in vacant stores. The buyers then quickly fly their products to distributors who sell them to places as far away as Japan. - Margy
ReplyDeleteWe have several popping up this week after a few afternoon showers. Your photos are amazing and it's neat to see all the variety!
ReplyDeleteMushrooms are some of the coolest things to photograph. We used to live out in the country on a farm and had dozens of different types pop up all over the place after a good rain.
ReplyDeleteDawn aka Spatulas On Parade
I learned a couple of things from your post - antibiotics - hmmm. And I suppose I knew about black mold (dangerous to humans) but I never really thought about it as a fungi. Thanks for the education, the colorful pictures to go with it and for linking up to Mosaic Monday. (By the way, I am deeply grateful for your faithful participation in MM - it means so much to me!)
ReplyDeleteThose are some gorgeous fungi. Love the mosaic. Thanks for sharing and have a great week. Sylvia D.
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