As the seasons change, the leaves turn golden in the crisp autumn air and fall to the ground, creating the perfect environment for all kinds of mushrooms to pop up seemingly overnight. Some are delicious when fried in butter, but many others are extremely poisonous, so it’s understandable that mushrooms are seen as a little creepy. However, these fun guys (just one pun and I’ll stop, I promise) are more than just mysterious symbols of the spooky season and of autumn in general; they are vital to biodiversity, soil health and carbon storage.
What Are Fungi, Exactly?
Why do we say ‘fungi’ instead of just mushrooms? Fungi can encompass the traditional types of mushrooms you see growing on the ground, but also include various yeasts and moulds. They aren’t plants or animals – fungi are very complex organisms that defy traditional categorisation – they belong to their own taxonomic kingdom!
Nature’s Hidden Network – How Fungi Sustain Life
Fungi are more than just the mushrooms you see growing – there’s a whole underground network of microscopic threads called mycelium that connects plants and trees. This ‘wood wide web’ can extend for miles and helps plants to share nutrients and communicate through chemical signals. Many plants and trees have a symbiotic relationship with fungi, which is known as mycorrhiza – they grow alongside the plant’s roots, taking sugars from the plant in exchange for moisture and nutrients gathered from the soil.
Fungi are part of nature’s cleanup crew – they can break down decaying plant matter, deceased insects and wildlife and recycle their nutrients, which helps clear space for new plants, enrich the soil and support woodland ecosystems. Seeing some rotting organic matter with fungi growing on it can be a little alarming, especially if you aren’t expecting it, but don’t worry – the fungi is just doing its work.
Some types of fungi can break down harmful pollutants in soil and water in a process known as bioremediation. From crude oil and other petroleum products to pesticides, textile dyes and heavy metals like cadmium and lead, there’s a type of fungi that can help. Some fungi have even been seen thriving in highly radioactive locations, suggesting that they could be used in the bioremediation of radioactive waste, although more research is needed to determine how effective this would be.
Why Fungi Matter for Biodiversity
Even though most fungi are not edible to humans and can be poisonous, many animals, insects, and other wildlife often feast upon fungi, especially during the colder months when other food sources are scarce. They are a favourite food of smaller creatures like slugs, beetles, ants and flies, which then get eaten by larger animals.
Seeing fungi in the wild is a good sign of a balanced ecosystem. Fungi can be very sensitive to subtle changes in soil chemistry, moisture levels, and other factors in the health of an ecosystem. If there is a decline in the fungi population in a certain area, it can be an early indicator that something has gone wrong, such as pollution or habitat degradation.
The mycelium under the soil helps to improve soil health by binding soil particles together, reducing soil erosion. Fungi can help to improve soil quality by releasing nitrogen into the soil in a form that plants can use, and secreting enzymes into the soil that help plants to easily access phosphorus, another essential nutrient for plants. The mycelium network can even detect which plants are lacking in certain nutrients and move them from one part of the fungal network to another.
Fungi are also an essential part of the carbon cycle. It helps with decomposing dead organic matter to release carbon back into the soil, and helps keep it sequestered there as dead fungal matter. The mycorrhizal fungi also help to transfer carbon from plants into the soil as sugars and fats, helping to lock even more carbon away in soil ecosystems. In fact, a recent study by the University of Sheffield found that fungi store about a third of carbon from fossil fuel emissions – about 13 gigatons (that’s 13 BILLION tons!) every year. The impact of fungi on carbon sequestration has been largely overlooked until recently, and this research could inspire new ways of using fungi to offset more carbon and reach Net Zero.
For all these reasons and more, we should celebrate fungi and their role in promoting biodiversity, soil health and supporting the global ecosystem. Our meadows, while full of wildflowers, also benefit from the underground mycelium web, quietly sequestering carbon, supporting plant life and enriching the soil. This unseen fungal world beneath our feet is what keeps our ecosystem alive and thriving. This autumn, you can celebrate our fungal allies by going on a walk in woodlands or other natural areas and seeing how many different types of fungi you can spot. Look for local guided nature walks to learn more about fabulous fungi and their near-infinite variety. Don’t forget to take lots of pictures!
