mushrooms at pine ridge park

        The most interesting thing that I learned about mushrooms while at the park was that the fungi mycelium could reach such a vast expanse. It is crazy to think that a single, small mushroom can have so much going on under the surface. Moreover, I was really interested in the fact that mushrooms can communicate with each other below ground, not only to each other, but with the trees in which they have a symbiotic relationship with.

        Fungi are very important to the ecosystem because they break down the material and debris of dead organisms. This decomposition adds to the richness in the soil. Basically, mushrooms allow the death of organisms to be the beginning for others. They are the key player in the recycling that nature is known for. 

        A type of fungus that I learned about has a common name of "Chicken of the Woods", scientific name, Laetiporus. I learned that they are edible and that they are called their common name because some people say that they taste like chicken. They can be identified because they feed on decaying trees, and are orange and yellow in color. They appear as "shelves" on trees, and they grow in clusters. The lip of the fungi is a lighter yellow color, while the closer to the base of the tree, the fungi is darker and orange.  

Here are some fungi photos that I took on the fungi trip!