ECOLOGICAL ROLE OF FUNGI AND LICHENS

What are lichens?

Lichens are formed from a combination of a fungal partner (mycobiont) and an algal partner (phycobiont). The dominant partner is the fungus, which gives the lichen the majority of its characteristics, from its thallus shape to its fruiting bodies. The alga can be either a green alga or a blue-green alga, otherwise known as cyanobacteria.

Their ecological roles are:

Many lichens in addition with cyanobacteria as photobionts are used in nitrogen fixation by plants. Lichens growing on rocks, though, may release chemicals which speed the degradation of the rock into soil, and thus promote production of new soils. Lichens enable algae to live all over the world in many different climates; they also provide a means to convert carbon dioxide in the atmosphere through photosynthesis into oxygen, which we all need to survive.

Ecological roles (contd)

Lichens may function also in erosion control because they festoon trees and shrubs with a thick epiphytic growth and, even when not nitrogen-fixing, such lichens can still contribute significantly to nutrient cycling. Lichens delay global warming by consuming significant amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) during photosynthesis. When they cover the ground, they prevent soil from drying out. In desert areas they are able to capture and conserve the moisture present in fog and dew.

Ecological roles (contd)

Lichens release nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which are important in regions with nutrient-poor soils as the nutrients aid tree growth. Lichens are also an important food source for many species of animals, including wild turkeys and reindeer of the Arctic tundra.

Ecological roles (contd)

When lichens die, they contribute decayed organic

matter to the area they inhabited, which enables mosses and seeds from vascular plants to begin developing among the pockets of new soil.

Some 50 species of birds are known to regularly use fruticose-type lichen as their preferred nesting material.
Small animals commonly use lichens to hide from natural predators through camouflage and direct cover.

ECOLOGICAL ROLES OF FUNGI

The fungi are non photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms often with chitin, a nitrogenous polysaccharide forming their cell walls. Many are saprophytic and some are parasitic.

Fungi are important in an enormous variety of ways:

Recycling : Fungi, together with bacteria, are responsible for most of the recycling which returns dead material to the soil in a form in which it can be reused. Saprotrophs are fungi that assimilate dead plant tissues and decompose them. Many fungi fall into this category, especially the molds. Most fungi are capable of digesting the large quantities of cellulose contained in plant tissue.

 Mycorrhizae and plant growth: Fungi are vitally important for the good growth of most plants, including crops, through the development of mycorrhizal associations. Mycorrhizal fungi improve the plants absorption capabilities for water and nutrients.

 Food: Fungi are also important directly as food for humans. Many mushrooms are edible and different species are cultivated for sale worldwide. While this is a very small proportion of the actual food that we eat, fungi are also widely used in the production of many foods and drinks. These include cheeses, beer and wine, bread, some cakes, and some soya bean products.

 Medicines: Penicillin, perhaps the most famous of all antibiotic drugs, is derived from a common fungus called Penicillium. Many other fungi also produce antibiotic substances, which are now widely used to control diseases in human and animal populations. The discovery of antibiotics revolutionized health care worldwide.

 Biocontrol: Fungi such as the Chinese caterpillar fungus, which parasitize insects, can be extremely useful for controlling insect pests of crops. Crop Diseases: Fungal parasites may be useful in biocontrol, but they can also have enormous negative consequences for crop production.

Role of post fire fungi

Fungi for Bioremediation: Bioremediation (biological remediation) is simply the use of biological agents to clean and restore a polluted environment by degrading soil pollutants such as insecticides, herbicides, heavy metals, creosote, coal tars, and hydrocarbon fuels. These fungal species secrete enzymes that neutralize the pollutants.

Role of post fire fungi (contd)

Postfire fungi have positive importance to stabilization of soils, restoration of habitat, and recovery of damaged plants or replacement of dead vegetation. They decompose organic matter, including woody debris, thereby incorporating it into the soil and releasing organically bound nutrients.

Role of post fire fungi (contd)

Mycelial networks bind soil particles into aggregates, thereby improving aeration and water infiltration.
One overlooked function of fungi soon after fire would be sequestration of nitrogen.

Role of marine fungi

Fungi are major decomposers of woody and herbaceous substrata entering marine ecosystems.
Some marine fungi cause disease of marine animals and plants, while others form mutualistic symbiotic relationships with other organisms.

References
http://www1.broward.edu/~fsearcy/BSC1011C/FUNGI.pdf browsed on 7th November 2013 http://www.cfr.washington.edu/classes.esrm.409/Lectures/Lextures%20 2010/03lecture%20fungi.pdf browsed on 7th November 2013 http://www.tanelorn.us/data/mycology/myc_eco.htm browsed on 7th November 2013 Edward Allen Herre, Luis C. Meji A, Damond A. Kyllo, Enith Rojas, Zuleyka Maynard, Andre Butler, and Sunshine A. Van bael (2007). Ecological implications of anti-pathogen effects of tropical fungal endophytes and mycorrhizae Guangyi Wang and Zackary I. Johnson (2009). Impact of parastic fungi on the diversity and functional ecology of marine phytoplankton Kevin D. Hyde, E.B. Gareth Jones, Eduardo Lean O, Stephen B. Pointing, Asha D. Poonyth and Lilian L.P. Vrijmoed (1998). Role of fungi in marine ecosystems Andrew W. Claridge, James M. Trappe, Karen Hansen (2009). Do fungi have a role as soil stabilizers and remediators after forest fire?

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