Laura Smith
Mushrooms, a member of the Fungi kingdom, are believed to have first evolved on Earth between 715 and 810 million years ago, according to a study by Steeve Bonneville from the Université libre de Bruxelles. This discovery was made by identifying fossilized mycelium, a network of interconnected microscopic strands, in ancient rocks from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Previously, the oldest confirmed mushroom fossil was believed to be 460 million years old. The early fossil record of fungi is scarce, and their delicate nature makes fossils rare and challenging to distinguish from other microorganisms. However, the discovery of older fungal fossils sheds light on the evolution of fungi and their role in the colonization of plants on Earth's surface.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Age of the first mushrooms on Earth | Between 715 and 810 million years ago |
| Previous oldest mushroom fossil | 460 million years old |
| Earliest fossils with features typical of fungi | Paleoproterozoic era, 2,400 million years ago |
| Earliest terrestrial fungus fossils | South China, 635 million years ago |
| Time of fungal abundance | 250 million years ago |
| Estimated number of species in Kingdom Fungi | 2.2 to 3.8 million |
| Number of documented and described species | 120,000 |
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What You'll Learn
The earliest mushrooms may be 810 million years old
The earliest mushrooms on Earth may be far older than previously thought, with estimates placing their emergence between 715 and 810 million years ago. This discovery, made by a team of researchers led by Professor Steeve Bonneville from the Université libre de Bruxelles, pushes back the timeline of mushroom evolution by 300 million years.
The fossilized remains of ancient mushrooms were discovered in rocks dating back to this period. These rocks, found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, formed in a transitional area between water and land, indicating that mushrooms may have played a crucial role in the evolution of life on Earth. Professor Bonneville explains that the presence of fungi in this transitional environment suggests that they were important partners to the first plants that colonized the Earth's surface around 500 million years ago.
The discovery of these ancient mushroom fossils sheds light on the mysterious origins of the kingdom Fungi, to which mushrooms belong. Only 2% of fungal species have been identified, and their delicate nature makes fossilization and identification challenging. Prior to this discovery, the oldest confirmed mushroom fossil was estimated to be 460 million years old.
The identification of the ancient mushroom fossils was a complex process. Traditional methods relied solely on the morphology of organic remains extracted from rocks using corrosive acids, which could lead to incorrect interpretations. Professor Bonneville and his team employed a combination of chemical and micro-spectroscopic analyses to confirm the presence of fungal remains. This rigorous approach involved examining the molecular composition of the fossils and detecting traces of chitin, a compound unique to fungi.
The discovery of ancient mushroom fossils in the Democratic Republic of Congo invites further exploration of Earth's early history. By studying even older rocks, scientists hope to uncover more about the microorganisms that played a foundational role in the evolution of life on our planet.
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Fossils from 715 million years ago identified as mushrooms
The fossilized remains of mycelium (a network of interconnected microscopic strands) have been discovered in rocks between 715 and 810 million years old. These ancient rocks, found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, formed in a lagoon or coastal lake environment. The fossils were identified as mushrooms using multiple molecular analysis techniques at a microscopic scale, including synchrotron radiation spectroscopy, confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy, and electron microscopy.
The discovery of these fossils sheds light on the evolution of fungi and plants, and the planet's surface. Fungi are known to have branched off from animals more than 1 billion years ago, making them more closely related to us than plants. However, there is a large gap in the fossil record, with the oldest non-controversial fungal fossils dating back only 400 million years. The recent discovery of fossils dating back 715-810 million years fills in this gap and suggests that mushrooms evolved on Earth much earlier than previously thought.
According to Steeve Bonneville from the Université libre de Bruxelles, the first mushrooms evolved on Earth between 715 and 810 million years ago, 300 million years earlier than previously believed. The results of the study, published in Science Advances, suggest that mushrooms played an important role in the evolution of life on Earth. Bonneville explains that the presence of fungi in the transitional area between water and land indicates that mushrooms were key partners for the first plants that colonized the Earth's surface around 500 million years ago.
The discovery of these ancient mushroom fossils provides valuable insights into the early evolution of life on Earth and highlights the importance of fungi in ecosystems. However, much of the distant history of fungi remains a mystery, with only a small percentage of species identified. Further research and the development of more advanced identification techniques will help to enhance our understanding of these ancient organisms.
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The evolution of mushrooms and plants is linked
The evolution of mushrooms and plants is closely linked. Mushrooms, or the kingdom Fungi, are believed to be among the earliest life forms on Earth, with fossilized remains of mycelium (a network of interconnected microscopic strands) discovered in rocks between 715 and 810 million years old. This discovery suggests that mushrooms were present during the infancy of life on the continents' surfaces.
Fungi are known to play key roles in nutrient cycling and can be found in symbiotic associations with plants, algae, animals, and other organisms. They have the ability to form mutualistic relationships, such as mycorrhiza and lichenization, which have been crucial in the evolution and diversification of life on Earth.
The earliest fossils possessing features typical of fungi date back to the Paleoproterozoic era, approximately 2.4 billion years ago. These early fungi were likely aquatic, possessing flagellum-bearing spores similar to extant Chytrids. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that the majority of fungal species lost the flagellum early in their evolutionary history.
During the Cambrian period (542-488.3 million years ago), fungi are believed to have colonized the land, possibly even earlier during the Ediacaran (635 million years ago). Terrestrial fungus-like fossils from South China dating back to this period indicate that these organisms may have contributed to oxygenating the Earth's atmosphere following the Cryogenian glaciations.
The evolution of mushrooms and plants became more closely intertwined as plants began to colonize the land. Arriving as parasites of green algae, fungi adapted to terrestrial environments alongside plants. This transition was accompanied by increased complexity, with the development of multicellularity in the Streptophyta. Evidence of horizontal gene transfer between land plants, green algae, and fungi further highlights the interconnected evolution of these organisms.
While the specific mechanisms and implications of their relationship require further study, it is clear that the evolution of mushrooms and plants is deeply linked. The unique abilities of fungi to access nutrients in minerals and form symbiotic relationships were key to the spread of plants across the Earth. As plants evolved and diversified, mushrooms also underwent radiation, adapting to various ecological niches and playing essential roles in ecosystems worldwide.
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Fungi fossils are difficult to identify
The fossil record of fungi goes back to the Proterozoic era, around 2.4 billion years ago. However, identifying the oldest fossil fungus is challenging because many early fungi reports have been reclassified as filaments of green algae or cyanobacteria.
Furthermore, fungi fossils can be challenging to distinguish from those of other microbes, and they are most easily identified when they closely resemble extant fungi. This means that if the fossilized fungi are significantly different from modern-day fungi, it becomes difficult to recognize and classify them accurately. For example, fungal filaments discovered in Cretaceous amber from northern France resembled living filaments of the common ascomycete Candida. However, without information on how this fossilized organism lived and reproduced, its true affinities may never be known.
Another challenge in identifying fungi fossils is the potential for contamination or misinterpretation. Some early fungi fossils have been dismissed as contamination, lacking distinct fungal features, or have been reclassified as filaments of algae or cyanobacteria. This highlights the importance of rigorous chemical tests and advanced techniques, such as confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy, which can detect the presence of chitin, a unique component of fungi.
Despite these difficulties, recent studies have made significant progress in identifying ancient fungi. For example, a 2020 study by Steeve Bonneville and colleagues identified fossilized fungal filaments in shale from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, dating back between 715 and 810 million years. This discovery, confirmed through cross-correlation of chemical and micro-spectroscopic analyses, provides valuable insights into the early evolution of fungi and their role in the colonization of the Earth's surface by plants.
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Mushrooms were likely the dominant life form 251 million years ago
The evolution of fungi, or mushrooms, on Earth is a fascinating topic that remains largely mysterious. While we know that fungi branched off from animals over 1 billion years ago, the fossil record of fungi is scarce and controversial. This is partly due to the soft, fleshy nature of fungal fruiting bodies, which are easily degradable and difficult to distinguish from other microbes.
However, recent studies have shed new light on the ancient history of fungi. In 2019, scientists reported the discovery of a fossilized fungus, Ourasphaira giraldae, in the Canadian Arctic. This fungus is estimated to be over 1 billion years old and may have grown on land before plants. Another study, led by Steeve Bonneville from the Université libre de Bruxelles, identified fossilized mycelium (a network of interconnected microscopic strands) in rocks from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These rocks are estimated to be between 715 and 810 million years old, dating back to a time when life on Earth's continents was just beginning.
Bonneville's study also revealed that mushrooms could have played a crucial role in the evolution of plants. By forming symbiotic relationships with the first plants, fungi may have facilitated the colonization of the continental surface by plants. This hypothesis is supported by the discovery of fossilized fungal filaments in shale rocks from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which date back at least 715 million years.
Additionally, evidence from the fossil record suggests that about 251 million years ago, fungi became abundant and may have been the dominant life form on Earth. This period, known as the Permian-Triassic extinction event, saw a significant increase in fungal spores, indicating a high presence of fungi. While the proportion of fungal spores relative to algal spores is challenging to determine, the fossil record from this time predominantly consists of fungal remains.
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Frequently asked questions
It is believed that the first mushrooms on Earth were present between 715 and 810 million years ago.
Researchers used multiple molecular analysis techniques at a microscopic scale, including synchrotron radiation spectroscopy, confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy, and electron microscopy, to study the chemistry of organic remains.
The first mushrooms appeared during a time in Earth's history when life on the continents' surface was in its infancy. They were discovered in rocks that formed in a lagoon or coastal lake environment.
Mushrooms may have been important partners for the first plants that colonized the Earth's surface. Their unique ability to access nutrients in minerals and create symbiosis with plants facilitated the spread of plants across the Earth.
Some estimates place the arrival of the first mushrooms at about 1 billion years ago. Fossilized hyphae and spores recovered from the Ordovician of Wisconsin (460 million years ago) also resemble modern-day fungi. However, these have been dismissed by some as contamination.
