John Miller
Mushrooms are the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting bodies of fungi that come in a variety of shapes and colors. The colors of mushrooms are due to the presence of various pigments, which can also affect their taste and protect them from bacteria and sunlight. The specific colors and patterns of mushrooms often serve a purpose, such as attracting spore dispersers or acting as a warning to potential predators. Climate also plays a role in mushroom coloration, with darker mushrooms found in colder climates. Additionally, some mushrooms are hygrophanous, meaning they are sensitive to drying out and may change color as their tissues lose moisture. The study of mushroom colors is an ongoing area of research, and their identification is crucial in understanding their potential therapeutic effects.
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What You'll Learn
- Pigments: Betaxanthins, betacyanins, birnbaumin, and carotenoids are some pigments that give mushrooms their colour
- Climate: Mushrooms in colder climates tend to be darker in colour, possibly to absorb heat faster
- Camouflage: Mushrooms may use colours to camouflage and avoid being eaten by predators
- Warning: Some mushrooms have distinct colours to warn potential predators of their toxic compounds
- Solar energy: Darker mushrooms may benefit from increased solar energy absorption, aiding reproduction
Pigments: Betaxanthins, betacyanins, birnbaumin, and carotenoids are some pigments that give mushrooms their colour
Mushrooms get their colour from various pigments, including betaxanthins, betacyanins, birnbaumin, and carotenoids. Betalains are a class of red and yellow tyrosine-derived pigments found in plants of the order Caryophyllales and some higher-order fungi. They include pigments such as those found in beets, bougainvillea, amaranth, and cacti.
Betaxanthins are betalain pigments that appear yellow to orange. They are present in plants such as vulgaxanthin, miraxanthin, portulaxanthin, and indicaxanthin. Betalamic acid reacts with various amino acids or amines to form betaxanthins. The absorption maximum of betaxanthins is typically around 480 nm, and they emit fluorescence with excitation and emission maxima in the range of 463–535 nm and 508–608 nm, respectively.
Betacyanins, on the other hand, are reddish to violet pigments. They include betanin, isobetanin, and probetanin, which are present in red beets. Betanin is a glucoside that hydrolyzes into glucose and betanidin. The colour of betanin is sensitive to pH, and it has been used as a food colouring agent.
Birnbaumin is a reference to the Leucocoprinus birnbaumii mushroom, a yellow parasol mushroom that was first described based on specimens found in Sri Lanka. This mushroom is poisonous to dogs and cats in large quantities and can cause stomach upset if consumed by humans.
Carotenoids are another type of pigment found in mushrooms. β-Carotene, a type of carotenoid, is present in high concentrations in the caps of certain mushroom species, such as Suillus bovinus. Carotenoids have been shown to possess antioxidant properties and potential health benefits, including reducing the risk of certain types of cancer and protecting against chronic diseases.
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Climate: Mushrooms in colder climates tend to be darker in colour, possibly to absorb heat faster
Mushrooms come in a variety of shapes and colours. While the functions of colour in fungi are not well characterized, climate plays a role in the coloration of mushrooms. Researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) investigated the colour of mushroom assemblages across Europe and their relationship with climatic conditions. They analysed the lightness of their coloration and discovered that fungal communities have darker mushrooms in cold climates. This discovery is consistent with the thermal melanism theory, which states that dark-colored ectotherm organisms have an advantage at low temperatures due to increased warming.
The same mechanism that allows cold-blooded animals to rely on ambient temperature to regulate their body temperature may also be at play in fungi. Dark coloration allows them to absorb heat faster. This is supported by observations of a wild dark-colored mushroom that appeared warmer than its surroundings due to direct or indirect exposure to solar radiation. Pigments in the mushrooms absorb electromagnetic radiation, leading to a temperature increase.
The relationship between colour lightness and mean temperature was found to be significantly positive. Assemblages in cold environments had a greater proportion of species with dark mushrooms. Across Europe, assemblages of saprotrophs were significantly darker in colder seasons like spring, fall, and winter. On the other hand, assemblages of ECM fungi showed the opposite pattern, with lighter colours in colder seasons.
While the thermal component is a significant factor in the colour lightness of saprotrophic and ECM assemblages, other factors such as precipitation sums also influence the colour of mushrooms. The function of colours in the fungal kingdom is still largely unknown, and further research is needed to fully understand the complex ecological role of mushroom colours.
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Camouflage: Mushrooms may use colours to camouflage and avoid being eaten by predators
Mushrooms are the charismatic sexual reproductive structures of fungi, and their colours may serve a variety of purposes. One purpose of mushroom colouring may be camouflage, which would help mushrooms avoid being eaten by predators before they have formed their spores. In nature, specific colours and patterns usually serve a purpose. For example, the bright patterns of the fire salamander convey to its enemies that it is poisonous. Similarly, some mushrooms with unpalatable or toxic compounds have distinctive colours, perhaps serving as a warning to potential predators.
Research conducted by Franz Krah and Claus Bässler, a mycologist at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), investigated the distribution of 3054 species of fungi throughout Europe. They analysed the lightness of their coloration and the climatic conditions of their habitats. The results showed that fungal communities in colder climates or during colder seasons tend to have darker mushrooms. This may be because darker colours allow mushrooms to absorb heat faster, as is the case with cold-blooded animals in colder climates.
However, avoiding predation is only important to mushrooms before they have dispersed their spores. Once a mushroom has dispersed its spores, it has served its purpose, and being eaten by an animal will only help to disperse the spores further. Therefore, some mushrooms are brightly coloured to attract spore dispersers, such as flies, which will eat the spore mass and defecate in a new location, allowing the spores to germinate.
While the function of colour in mushrooms is not yet fully understood, camouflage may play a role in helping mushrooms avoid predation before they have dispersed their spores.
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Warning: Some mushrooms have distinct colours to warn potential predators of their toxic compounds
Mushrooms come in a variety of shapes and colours, and while some are edible, others are toxic. It is important to be able to distinguish between the two to avoid mushroom poisoning, which can have symptoms ranging from mild gastrointestinal discomfort to death.
Some believe that mushrooms with distinct colours may be warning potential predators of their toxic compounds. This is a phenomenon observed in other species, such as poison dart frogs and monarch butterflies, which have bright colours indicating that they are poisonous. Similarly, the eye-catching patterns of the fire salamander convey to its enemies that it is poisonous.
However, research on 245 North American mushroom species and 265 European species found no correlation between cap colour and the presence of toxins. This suggests that cap colour does not act as a warning sign to deter predators. Instead, it was found that poisonous mushrooms emit an unpleasant smell that discourages consumption. Furthermore, many of these odours are not detectable by humans, suggesting that they may serve as warning signals for other mammals.
While colour may not be a reliable indicator of toxicity in mushrooms, it can still be helpful in identifying different species of fungi. Additionally, some mushrooms may have distinct colours for other purposes, such as attracting spore dispersers or regulating their body temperature in colder climates.
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Solar energy: Darker mushrooms may benefit from increased solar energy absorption, aiding reproduction
Mushrooms are the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting bodies of fungi, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source. They come in a variety of shapes and colours, and their colouration often serves a purpose. For instance, some mushrooms with unpalatable or toxic compounds are distinctively coloured to warn off potential predators. Other mushrooms are brightly coloured to attract spore dispersers, similar to how brightly coloured fruits attract seed dispersers.
In nature, colour and patterns often convey important messages. For example, the eye-catching patterns of the fire salamander indicate to its enemies that it is poisonous. Similarly, red cherries attract birds that eat them and disperse their seeds. Some animals, like chameleons, use camouflage colouring to protect themselves from predators. Climate also plays a role in coloration: cold-blooded animals like reptiles and insects tend to be darker in colder climates to absorb heat faster.
The same mechanism could be at play in fungi. Research suggests that darker mushrooms in colder climates may benefit from increased solar energy absorption, aiding reproduction. A study by a research team including Franz Krah and Claus Bässler, a mycologist at TUM, investigated the distribution of 3054 species of fungi throughout Europe and analysed the lightness of their coloration and climatic conditions of their habitats. The results showed a correlation between darker mushrooms and colder climates, with fungal communities that decompose dead plant constituents being darker in spring and autumn than in summer.
While the study provides initial insights, more research is needed to fully understand mushroom colours. Colouration in mushrooms may also be influenced by factors such as sensitivity to desiccation, with some mushrooms changing colour as their tissues dry out. Additionally, the identification of mushrooms can be challenging due to colour variations caused by factors like drying and fading, requiring detailed descriptive notes or photographs under controlled lighting conditions.
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Frequently asked questions
Mushrooms get their colour from pigments. Some common pigments that give rise to the yellow colour of mushrooms are birnbaumin, betalains, sclerocitrin, chalcitrin, and carotenoids. Betacyanin, a type of betalain, is responsible for the red colour of the fly agaric mushroom.
The colour of a mushroom serves multiple purposes. Some mushrooms have distinctive colours to warn potential predators of their toxic compounds. Some mushrooms are brightly coloured to attract spore dispersers. Climate also plays a role in the colour of mushrooms. Research shows that mushrooms in colder climates tend to be darker in colour.
The most common colour of mushroom spores is white. Other colours include brown, black, purple-brown, pink, yellow, and creamy.
