How do mushrooms eat? Nutrition, structure and reproduction of fungi. What animals eat mushrooms?

Among the forest flora there are a lot of mysterious inhabitants. But one species of plant organisms is rightfully on the top positions of the conventional rating of mystery and poorly known. It's about mushrooms. Scientists still do not know exactly what kind of organisms they belong to: flora or fauna. Until recently, fungi were considered representatives of the plant world. But now botanists are increasingly inclined to refute this assumption. And if so, they belong to the animal world. In this case, a very curious question arises: "How do mushrooms eat?"

The Kingdom of Mushrooms

The study of these amazing creations of nature deals with a whole direction of botany. It is called mycology (and how the mushrooms eat, the 7th class learns at school lessons). Even if we proceed from the Latin notation of fungi - Fungi, or Mycota, it becomes clear that this is a whole world. Or, as some scientists say, the realm of unheeded organisms.

The main feature of mushrooms is that they combine the signs of both animal and plant life. This unification of botany is called eukaryotic organisms. As early as the beginning of the XIX century, some scientists suggested in their works to separate the mushrooms into a separate kingdom. However, the final opinion on this issue was formed only in the 70s of the XX century. It was then that scientists substantiated the need to isolate mushrooms in a separate world. In the second half of the XX century, the accumulated knowledge in the study of the wondrous realm allowed scientists to divide these organisms into several lines that were absolutely unrelated to each other and distribute them to different kingdoms.

According to the results of the research, only one species is considered a "real" fungus. We are used to the fact that this "plant" with a hat and a leg, inhabiting mainly in the forests. In fact, all kinds of molds and germs are also called fungi. And compare them with those that live in a clearing in the moss, it is almost impossible. After all - and this is at least - bacteria and mushrooms eat in different ways.

At the beginning of the XXI century, even the very definition of "mushrooms" is perceived ambiguously. If we talk about a very narrow interpretation, which refers to biological taxonomy, then it will be more appropriate to use the term "taxon" (one of the kinds of kingdoms of living nature). In the old, more extended understanding, this designation lost its original meaning. Today, it defines an ecological-trophic group that unites heterotrophic eukaryotes with a circumspect type of self-sufficiency (this is what we are interested in: how mushrooms feed). Biology is still studying the question. But that, as for the usual representatives of this genus with a leg and a hat, is traditionally determined by mycology. Let's try and understand the "usual" and "habitual" mushrooms that inhabit our forests and meadows.

Diversity

The biological and ecological diversity of the kingdom is enormous. This is one of the largest forms of living organisms that are an integral part of all terrestrial and aquatic ecological systems. According to modern research, to date, from 100 to 250 thousand different species of fungi are known.

In 2008, in the realm of Fungi, scientists counted 36 classes, 140 orders, 560 families and 8,883 generic names used by representatives of this species. Impressive numbers! Certainly, mushrooms occupy an important niche in ecological interaction with man. They are present practically in any natural conditions: in water, on land, on all kinds of substrates.

How do mushrooms eat? The short answer is quite simple: they are decomposers, that is, they decompose all kinds of organic materials, while promoting the formation of new fertile soil layers. This can be considered primitive food. But do not forget that such processes play a very important role in the ecology of the entire biosphere.

Comprehensive application

Another great importance of the life activity of fungi is found in all possible symbiotic communities. For example, mycorrhiza is the association of a mycelium with the roots of higher plants, lichens are a symbiosis of a fungus with blue-green algae, etc. And the representatives of the order of neocalimages are an obligatory component of the digestive process in ruminants. And about what animals eat mushrooms, and we can not speak. Just start listing!

If we talk about a person, then, as we know, a lot of kinds of mushrooms are used for food, medical and economic purposes. Culinary dishes of many cuisines of the world consist of this nutritious, tasty and useful product. Their industrial breeding is very popular. There is a whole industry producing special materials for growing mushrooms. These products are designed for lovers who are engaged in their breeding at home. Such farmers need to know how to eat mushrooms. Responses will significantly affect productivity and labor costs.

And the smallest microscopic fungi are often used in the food industry for the preparation of drinks, in the production of which the fermentation process is important. Do not ignore the attention and medicine. In modern biotechnology production of antibiotics, some types of these microorganisms are also used.

Mushroom hazards

However, fungi can cause damage. We must not forget that phytopathogenic fungi that grow in an undisturbed ecological system can become a very serious security problem. Usually not representing threats, in artificially created conditions or in places of human activity, they can cause skin diseases - dermatomycosis, and sometimes severe injuries of internal organs - deep mycoses. And it concerns not only people, but also animals.

A very great danger to a person may be poisoning with "traditional" poisonous mushrooms. In some cases, even a lethal outcome is possible. Such poisoning is usually caused by eating highly toxic or hallucinogenic fungi.

Simple classification

Talking about these amazing organisms, I want to answer such an important and interesting question: "How do mushrooms eat?" The answers are very diverse, and this despite the fact that most of them belong to the same group - the class of basidial ones. His representatives are quite different in terms of natural consumption of food.

If to classify edible gifts of a wood on how grow and as eat mushrooms they can be divided into three basic groups:

• Humus saprotrophs;
• Wood-destroying mushrooms;
• Mycorrhiza-forming agents.

To humus saprotrophs are those fungi whose mycelium is distributed in the humus layer of the soil. Fungi feed on organic substances accumulated in extinct wood, grass, etc. It is interesting that many of them grow in open spaces - fields, meadows, in the steppe zones. To this group, in the first place are such well-known mushrooms, as champignons, raincoats and dung. And how do predator mushrooms eat? When there is nothing to profit, they become saprotrophs. But they prefer to catch all kinds of living microorganisms. To do this, predators have special devices that allow you to catch prey. Most often these are sticky parts of the body of the fungus: hyphae, nets, mycelium twigs. But there are also those who literally choke the victim, rapidly increasing in size.

The name of the second group speaks for itself. Tree-destroying fungi, or xylotrophs, usually live on wood. Nutritional processes of these fungi are carried out at the expense of beneficial properties that are found in the bark of trees. As a rule, such fungi live in forests and, in turn, are divided into two conditional groups: parasite fungi and saprotropha fungi. When studying the question of how mushroom parasites feed, it becomes clear that they are seriously destroying trees, settling on their bark. Although some of them prefer to grow on already dead wood, changing the food image to saprotrophic.

Most artificially cultivated fungi - xylotrophs - belong to the subgroup of saprotrophs. As a rule, they develop on stumps or dead wood. Among this species is worth noting the well-known oyster mushroom, summer sword and shiitake. These mushrooms are valuable because they can be grown all year round in artificial conditions. In special rooms, taking as a basis, for example, the waste of the woodworking industry, it is quite possible to organize a kind of farm.

Symbiosis of plants

Mycorrhiza-forming fungi, which are the third conditional group, are much less susceptible to artificial cultivation. During development, they are closely related to the roots of large trees, forming on them mycorrhiza - a kind of root system. In this case, there is a full symbiosis, as the tree and the fungus are equally useful to each other. The tree species provides the fungus with the energy it needs, and, in turn, it provides the tree with the necessary mineral nutrients. Mainly phosphorus and nitrogen.

How do mushrooms eat? The underground part densely spreads in the soil, braiding the root of the main plant and performing the function of root hairs. Part hyphae, penetrating the root system of the main tree, extracts nutrients from it. The other extracts from the soil water, mineral salts and other soluble substances, mainly nitrogenous content. The substances thus obtained are partially supplied to the root system of the main plant, and also serve as a nutrient composition for the fungus itself.

Interesting is the fact that mycorrhizae can also develop without the root system of the higher plant. But in this case, the fruiting bodies of this fungus are not formed. This is exactly what happens when home-grown white fungus and close subspecies (podberezovikov, boletus). That is why the fungi of this group are artificially not cultivated. Although there are no rules without exception. For example, in France and Germany it is very common to grow a black truffle, which grows on the roots of beech and oak seedlings.

What to eat mushrooms

It should be noted that mushrooms feed on ready-made organic substances. But still, the main role is played by compounds having a carbon base. Carbon is the main source of energy of fungi. In the diet of edible fungi, the presence of nitrogenous substances is important - they stimulate growth. Because of this consumption of inorganic substances it is very often said that fungi feed autotrophically. As a rule, these are ammonium nitrates and ammonium salt derivatives. In addition to carbon and nitrogen compounds, fungi use a variety of mineral elements - calcium, magnesium, phosphorus. And as microelements, fungi need substances such as copper, zinc and manganese.

But still, if you are asked about how mushrooms feed, the short answer should be: heterotrophic. This means that they can not independently process inorganic mineral substances in the organics. Therefore, all necessary is absorbed in the form of "aqueous solutions".

Knowledge of how to eat mushrooms is very important in the artificial cultivation of edible representatives of this kingdom. After all, creating an enabling environment for their growth is the key to successful industrial production.

Animals and mushrooms

Based on the above facts, it becomes clear that the fungi are of quite serious importance for humans in terms of food raw materials. But what about the fauna? What is the value of the world of mushrooms for them? What animals eat mushrooms? These questions can be answered by studying in detail the habits of the most widespread forest dwellers. It should be noted immediately that many forest animals eat them quite willingly , for example, moose, squirrels, bears, deer.

Great mammal hunters are acknowledged forest mushrooms. They, however, rarely make reserves, preferring to eat all the most delicious directly on the ground. Curious is the fact that the forest vole mouse for some reason eats the foot of the fungus, leaving an untouched hat. And if we see a large number of hanging beetles on the ground, or the poderezinovikov, this is a sure sign that in this place was recently a mouse feast.

Some representatives of birds also like mushrooms. They eat them exclusively in the summer-autumn period, gluing a treat right on the ground. In predilection for fungi scientists noticed jays, black grouse and some species of wood grouse. And it is the birds that contribute to the rapid spread of forest gifts, transferring fungal spores (allocate them together with feces) to regions quite remote from the current habitat. This is also possible because spores, after passing through the digestive system of birds, receive stimulation to germination.

Squirrel stocks

Speaking of proteins, in the summer they find and eat mushrooms right on the ground. In winter time, the protein feeds on provisions prepared earlier. To fill the pantry with mushrooms for the winter, the animal begins at the end of the summer. And an interesting nuance is the fact that before storing the mushrooms are dried in the sun to avoid the subsequent decay. As a rule, the protein hangs them on the trees in such a way that they do not become easy prey for other hunters to enjoy this product. Most often she uses knots of coniferous trees. Much less often the protein simply decomposes its prey on convenient hemp and simply flat surfaces.

If in September, walking in the woods, carefully look at some fir trees or pine trees, you can very often notice the traces of procuring activity of these fluffy animals. Well, about the volume of blanks for the winter can be judged by the statistics provided by scientists. On average, the protein places up to 200 units of various fungi in one nest. Quite an impressive figure, especially if you consider that a large segment in these supplies are occupied by white mushrooms. The total weight of dried products can reach 600 grams. This is the equivalent of almost 6 kg of the same mushrooms in raw form.

Amanita is poison or benefit?

And who in the forest eats mushrooms? If we talk about large forest dwellers, then first of all it is worth mentioning moose. These animals really really like mushrooms, and different species. With regard to elks, it is very interesting that they willingly eat fly agarics, which for many fauna are poisonous. Scientists are very interested in studying this issue, but today they can not exactly explain the nature of the phenomenon. Many of them tend to think that this is how moose somehow "disinfect" their body. There is also the opinion that some microelements of mushroom contribute to the digestion of elk.

In this regard, I want to note that not only animals, but people sometimes use fly agarics. But, unlike animals, people eat fly agaric exclusively for medical purposes. In the countryside, various alcoholic tinctures based on this mushroom are still being made. It is claimed that their use contributes to the treatment of rheumatism.

In fact, mushrooms contain a lot of useful microelements, both for humans and animals. And it is for the purposes of medical prevention, and not just from hunger, that many animals consume them for food.