Biology 3218F/G Lecture Notes - Lecture 26: Zygomycota, Hectare, Polypore
20 Sep 2016
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Succession: lichens colonize surface of the rock, and exuding organic acids which penetrate and dissolve the rock, break it down both physically and chemically. Tiny little root-like threads grow between the cracks in the rocks, and there is physical decomposition of the rocks. Then lichens break down themselves to form soil. Very first part of succession was the rock-eating fungus (aka lichen) Decomposing fungi may also attack rocks; decomposers and ectomycorrhizal fungi are closely related (ecm arose a couple times from decomposers) Thus it"s very likely that decomposers may extract mineral nutrients from rocks. All these various examples make that point; that fungi derive nutrient cycles and connect across nutrient cycles because it can exist across time and space and can eat across trophic levels. Decomposer fungus can also eat nematodes and bacteria, which is connecting trophic levels. Hyphal growth form of filamentous fungi allows them to connect them across space.
