Quite literally, fungi are what they eat. Depending on what resources these forest floor inhabitants utilize, their isotopic ratios shift accordingly. By looking at the isotopic signatures within their tissues, we can accurately define their ecological roles.
Read moreSusceptibility to fungal infection varies between individuals in different castes
New research reveals that reproductive individuals depend on their worker ants not only to forage for food and do the heavy lifting for the colony, but also to indirectly enhance their own pathogen resistance. The sterile worker ants need not save resources and energy for reproductive purposes so instead, fully invest in enhancing their pathogen resistance.
Read moreFungi Friday-Darwin’s golfball fungus; Cyttaria darwinii
Darwin’s golf ball fungus is a unique species with an interesting parasitic ecology. When we look at the distribution of its closely related cousins, the theory of evolution as well as Earth’s long, magnificent ecological past just becomes strengthened. I hope learning about Cyttaria darwinii will be as captivating to you as it was to Charles Darwin when he found the species while surveying Tierra del Fuego nearly 200 years ago.
Read moreFungi Friday; The rarity of the color blue in nature-Entoloma hochstetteri
Blue pigments take notoriously more time to evolve. This has led to animal species coming up with structural solutions instead of chemical ones. Since fungi don’t see, and usually don’t use animal dispersers that specialize in seeing blue, blue pigments have slowly evolved. These blue pigments are a rarity in nature, but leave it up to our fungal friends to find a way to produce these compounds.
Read moreFungi Friday; Laccaria bicolor
Laccaria bicolor is an awesome looking species, but its true beauty is contained within its genome. By looking at its DNA, we can paint a vivid ecological and evolutionary picture of this forest floor inhabitant.
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