Emma Wilson
Mushrooms are part of the Fungi kingdom, which includes yeasts, moulds, smuts, and rusts. Fungi are saprophytes that break down dead organic matter, keeping our environment clear of leaf litter and fallen branches. While most mushrooms are saprotrophs, a few species are parasitic, feeding on organic matter in living organisms. Parasitic fungi invade their hosts, obtaining nourishment from living cytoplasm, causing disease, and sometimes even death. Some parasitic fungi attack insects, rendering them sterile, while others invade trees, causing heart rot and killing the tree. Interestingly, some mushrooms are both parasitic and saprotrophic, and a few edible mushrooms are semi-parasitic.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Parasitic fungi attack living organisms, penetrate their outer defenses, and obtain nourishment from living cytoplasm. |
| Fungi Groups | The largest group is saprotrophic fungi, followed by parasitic fungi, then mycorrhizal fungi, and lastly, the endophytes. |
| Fungi Feeding | Parasitic fungi feed on organic matter in living organisms, while saprotrophic fungi feed on dead and decaying organic matter. |
| Fungi Structure | The germ tubes of some fungi produce structures called appressoria, from which a microscopic, needle-like peg punctures the host's epidermis. |
| Fungi Absorption | Parasitic fungi absorb food from host cells through hyphal walls pressed against the host's internal tissues. |
| Haustoria | Some fungi produce haustoria, short or large branched systems, that penetrate the host's cells for absorption. |
| Obligate Parasites | Obligate parasites require living cytoplasm and have specialized nutritional needs, making them difficult to grow in a lab. Examples include downy and powdery mildews, and rusts. |
| Insect Parasites | Cordyceps militaris is a fungus that invades living insect pupae and draws nutrients from them to generate spores. |
| Tree Parasites | Poplar mushrooms are semi-parasitic and grow on weak trees, causing heart rot and eventually killing the tree. Elm oyster mushrooms are classified as parasites but can also feed on dead tissue. |
| Human Parasites | Some fungi become human parasites, such as Candida and Trichophyton, causing infections like candidiasis, ringworm, and athlete's foot. |
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What You'll Learn
- Parasitic mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi that get nutrients from a living host
- Parasitic fungi invade and kill trees, creating compost that enriches the soil
- Most parasitic fungi are tiny and don't produce mushrooms
- Parasitic fungi can be detrimental to their hosts and cause disease and sometimes death
- Some parasitic fungi are edible and medicinal
Parasitic mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi that get nutrients from a living host
Mushrooms are part of the Fungi kingdom, which also includes moulds, yeasts, smuts, and rusts. Fungi are saprophytes, meaning they break down dead organic matter, keeping our environment clear of leaf litter and fallen branches. However, some fungi are parasitic, feeding on organic matter in living organisms.
Parasitic mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi that obtain nutrients from a living host. They invade their host, penetrating their defences and drawing nutrients from the living cytoplasm. This can cause disease and even death in the host. Most parasitic fungi are tiny and do not produce mushrooms, but a few species do. These include the lion's mane mushroom, found on dead and living trees, and poplar mushrooms, which grow on weak or unhealthy trees in New Zealand and Australia. Poplar mushrooms are classified as semi-parasitic and cause heart rot, which kills the tree. Elm oyster mushrooms are also classified as parasites, though they may feed on either living or dead tissue.
Some parasitic fungi are detrimental to their hosts and do not produce desirable mushrooms, but others are edible and even medicinal. Lion's mane mushrooms, for instance, are unusual-looking and one of the few potent medicinal mushrooms that are safe to eat in large quantities. Poplar and elm oyster mushrooms are also edible and can be grown at home. While parasitic fungi may be problematic in monoculture plantations, they play an important role in healthy, diverse ecosystems. They generally invade old or weak trees, providing light for younger plants and decaying wood for other fungi to feed on. The fungi then break down the dead wood, creating compost that improves the soil and provides nutrients for new plant growth.
Fungi can also be parasites of insects. For example, Cordyceps militaris invades living insect pupae, drawing nutrients from the pupae that enable the fungus to grow and generate spores for reproduction. In some cases, the insect is parasitic on a tree, and the fungus is parasitic on the insect, but the tree ultimately suffers.
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Parasitic fungi invade and kill trees, creating compost that enriches the soil
Parasitic fungi are complex organisms that play a critical role in maintaining healthy and diverse ecosystems. While they can be detrimental in monoculture plantations, they are mostly observed to invade and kill older or weak trees, creating compost that enriches the soil.
Fungi are essential decomposers within ecosystems, breaking down dead organic matter and recycling nutrients for other organisms to utilise. They form a mycelial network between the cells of their host, absorbing nutrients and causing disease or death. This process of decomposition involves the breakdown of complex organic compounds like cellulose and lignin into simpler molecules. The fungi secrete enzymes that enable them to absorb these resulting nutrients, contributing to soil formation and structure and promoting overall forest health.
Trees are often infected by parasitic fungi through cuts or tiny holes in their exterior. These fungi absorb nutrients from the living host, which can lead to the host's weakening and potential death. The aspen bracket fungus is a notable example, where the fungus kills its host tree but creates a habitat for rare invertebrates like the aspen hoverfly.
Some parasitic fungi, such as the Septobasidium species, involve insects in their parasitism. They form a mycelium over an insect colony feeding on a tree, penetrating and feeding on the insect without killing it. This parasitised insect remains fixed to the tree for its lifetime, aiding in the spread of fungal spores through the offspring of uninfected insects.
While parasitic fungi can cause diseases in trees and even lead to their death, they also contribute to the creation of compost that enriches the soil. This compost improves soil quality and provides nutrients for new plant growth, showcasing the intricate balance between the benefits and drawbacks of parasitic fungi in ecosystems.
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Most parasitic fungi are tiny and don't produce mushrooms
Most parasitic fungi are tiny and do not produce mushrooms or fruiting bodies. However, a few species do, and some of these are edible and medicinal. Parasitic fungi are often detrimental to their hosts, but they play an important role in healthy, diverse ecosystems. They generally invade old or weak trees, killing them and providing light for younger plants. The dead and decaying wood is also used as food for other fungi, and it improves the soil and provides nutrients for new plant growth.
While most mushrooms are saprotrophs, feeding on dead and decaying organic matter, a few parasitic fungi that produce mushrooms are both saprotrophic and parasitic. These include lion's mane mushrooms, which grow on dead trees and logs, as well as wounds on living trees. Poplar mushrooms, found in New Zealand and Australia, are another example of edible semi-parasitic mushrooms. They usually grow on weak or unhealthy trees, causing heart rot that kills the tree. Elm oyster mushrooms are also classified as parasites and saprotrophs, as scientists are unsure whether they feed on living or dead tissue on host trees.
Honey fungus is another example of a parasitic fungus that produces mushrooms. It creates a network of black, bootlace-like rhizomorphs that protect the mycelium and allow the fungus to spread throughout a tree. By the time the golden yellow fruiting bodies of honey fungus are visible, there is usually significant internal damage to the host tree.
Mycologists refer to parasitic fungi that use plant hosts as phytopathogenic fungi, and this includes mildews, rusts, and smuts. These fungi form mycelial networks inside the tissue of their plant hosts and absorb food from the host's cells. In addition to plants, parasitic fungi can also feed on animals, insects, and other fungi.
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Parasitic fungi can be detrimental to their hosts and cause disease and sometimes death
Parasitic fungi are detrimental to their hosts and can cause disease and sometimes even death. They invade and obtain nourishment from their living host, which can lead to the death of the host. While some parasitic fungi are problematic in orchards and plantations, they are beneficial in diverse ecosystems. They usually invade old or weak trees, killing them and providing light and nutrients for younger plants and other fungi. These fungi break down dead wood, creating compost that improves the soil and facilitates new plant growth.
Fungi interact with plants, forming hostile or friendly associations. They produce effector substances to manipulate the host plant's metabolism. Parasitic fungi cause diseases that manifest as tumours, "green islands", and raids. The tissues affected by these diseases show increased levels of cytokinins. For example, corn cobs infected with the smut fungus Ustilago maydis have higher levels of cis-zeatin and lower levels of cytokinin glucosides than healthy cobs.
Pathogenic fungi, such as the chestnut blight fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica), can cause significant damage by destroying crops and food sources. In the United States, this particular fungus has wiped out nearly all of the chestnut forests. Another example is Ophiostoma ulmi, the fungus responsible for Dutch elm disease, which has devastated elms in the United States and Europe.
In addition to plants, certain fungi form specialised parasitic relationships with insects. For instance, the fungal genus Septobasidium parasitizes scale insects that feed on trees. The fungus feeds on the insects without killing them, but it renders them sterile. The uninfected members of the colony ensure the perpetuation of the insect species and the spread of the fungus.
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Some parasitic fungi are edible and medicinal
While most parasitic fungi are tiny and do not produce mushrooms, a few species do. Many of these use more than one feeding method, and most mushroom-producing parasitic fungi are also saprotrophic. Few true parasitic mushrooms are edible, but some semi-parasitic species produce well-known gourmet mushrooms.
Lion's mane mushrooms, for example, are classified as both saprotrophic and parasitic. They grow on dead trees and logs and from wounds high up on living trees. These mushrooms are edible and are one of the few potent medicinal mushrooms that are safe to eat in large quantities. They are unique in appearance, with shaggy-looking teeth.
Elm oyster mushrooms are also edible and medicinal. They can be grown at home on straw or sawdust blocks and have a firm, meaty texture, delicate aroma, and mild, slightly nutty flavor. They are packed with nutrients and active compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor properties.
Chaga is another parasitic fungus sought after for its medicinal compounds. It has a mild, slightly fruity flavor with vanilla undertones and is commonly ground into a powder and used to make tea. Chaga grows on birch trees in cold climates, and its rigid, black structure is a mass of tightly packed mushroom mycelium called a sclerotium.
Lobster mushrooms are edible mushrooms created when a parasitic fungus, Hypomyces lactifluorum, feeds on the mushrooms of another fungus. This parasite infects the white fruiting bodies of Russula brevipes and Lactarius piperatus and turns them into a delicious, savory mushroom with a firm, dense texture and a seafood-like flavor.
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Frequently asked questions
Mushrooms are a type of fungus that lack chlorophyll and have to take nutrients from other materials. They constitute their own kingdom, which includes yeasts, molds, smuts, and rusts.
Most mushrooms are saprotrophs, meaning they feed on dead organic matter. However, some mushrooms are parasitic, meaning they feed on organic matter in living organisms. Parasitic mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of parasitic fungi that get the nutrients they need to survive from a living host.
Lion's mane mushrooms are classified as both saprotrophic and parasitic, as they are often found on dead trees and logs, but can also be found on living trees. Poplar mushrooms, found in New Zealand and Australia, are classified as semi-parasitic and usually grow on weak or unhealthy trees. Elm oyster mushrooms are also classified as parasites, although it is unclear whether they feed on living or dead tissue.
