ES Views: Wild London: Autumn brings out magical mushrooms

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27 October 2017
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Beefsteak, stinkhorn and amethyst deceiver — the colourful names of fungi reveal a long fascination with the mysterious, seemingly short-lived mushrooms and toadstools that grow in Britain.

Fungi are at their most prominent in autumn as mushrooms push up urgently through the soil of woodlands, parks, road verges and gardens. Their firm flesh is the fruiting body of a much larger fungal network that remains hidden below the ground.

When ripe, the mushroom releases millions of tiny spores into the air, a few of which will survive to grow into new fungi. They need to be quick as a mushroom can provide a tasty meal to other wildlife. Squirrels are partial to some fungi, as are voles and other small mammals.

Human foragers can also be a threat but many mushrooms have a toxic defence mechanism that can cause severe discomfort and even death — hence names such as the destroying angel, the death cap and the funeral bell.

Fungi are neither plant nor animal but they play an essential role in the natural world. They thread through the soil in unimaginable numbers, their individual strands invisible to the naked eye. Their fungal filaments are closely interlinked with the roots of trees, grasses and other plants, allowing nutrients to flow between the different species, promoting healthy growth.

These underground networks can be huge; one example in the United States is estimated to be almost seven times the size of Hyde Park and is reckoned to have lived for thousands of years.

Fungi don’t just stick to the ground, they grow within the fibres of trees, both living and dead, and they break down organic matter so that our soil remains enriched and beneficial to life. Keep an eye open for these over-looked but fascinating species — they are a vital part of life on earth.

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