Mycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus, consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae. The mass of hyphae is sometimes called shiro, especially within the fairy ring fungi. Fungal colonies composed of mycelia are found in soil and on or in many other substrates. Mycelia may form fruiting bodies such as mushrooms. A mycelium may be minute, forming a colony that is too small to see, or it may be extensive. The mycelium of a single individual of Armillaria gallica, dubbed "the humungous fungus," extended through 37 acres of forest soil and was estimated to weigh at least 9700kg (Smith et al 1992). For the fictional character, see Fungus the Bogeyman. ... Hyphae of Penicillium A hypha (plural hyphae) is a long, branching filamentous cell of a fungus, and also of unrelated Actinobacteria. ... One of Arthur Rackhams illustrations to William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream. ... Basidiocarps of Amanita muscaria. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

It is through the mycelium that a fungus absorbs nutrients from its environment. It does this in a two stage process. Firstly the hyphae secrete enzymes onto the food source, which breaks down polymers into monomers. These monomers are then absorbed into the mycelium by facilitated diffusion and active transport. A nutrient is either a chemical element or compound used in an organisms metabolism or physiology. ... A hypha (plural hyphae) is a long, branching filament that, with other hyphae, forms the feeding thallus of a fungus called the mycelium. ... Neuraminidase ribbon diagram An enzyme (in Greek en = in and zyme = blend) is a protein, or protein complex, that catalyzes a chemical reaction and also controls the 3D orientation of the catalyzed substrates. ... A polymer is a long, repeating chain of atoms, formed through the linkage of many molecules called monomers. ... In chemistry, a monomer (from Greek mono one and meros part) is a small molecule that may become chemically bonded to other monomers to form a polymer. ... facilitated difussion in cell membrane, showing ion channels and carrier proteins Facilitated diffusion (or facilitated transport) is a process of diffusion, a form of passive transport, where molecules diffuse across membranes, with the assistance of transport proteins. ... Sodium-Potassium pump, an example of Primary active transport secondary active transport Active transport (sometimes called active uptake) is the mediated transport of biochemicals, and other atomic/molecular substances, across membranes. ...

Mycelium is vital in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems for its role in the decomposition of plant material. It contributes to the organic fraction of soil and its growth releases carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. The mycelium of mycorrhizal fungi increases the efficiency of water and nutrient absorption of most plants and confers resistance to some plant pathogens. Mycelium is an important food source for many soil invertebrates. A coral reef near the Hawaiian islands is an example of a complex marine ecosystem. ... “Spoilage” redirects here. ... Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound composed of one carbon and two oxygen atoms. ... A mycorrhiza (typically seen in the plural forms mycorrhizae or mycorrhizas, Greek for fungus roots) is the result of a mutualistic association between a fungus and a plant. ...

Sclerotia are compact or hard masses of mycelium. Sclerotia are compact or hard masses of mycelium Categories: Fungi stubs ...

==Uses== this will help you

One of the primary roles of fungi in an ecosystem is to decompose organic compounds. Petroleum products and pesticides that can be contaminants of soil, are organic molecules. Fungi therefore should have potential to remove such pollutants from the soil environment, a process known as bioremediation. “Spoilage” redirects here. ... Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Lubbock, Texas Ignacy Łukasiewicz - inventor of the refining of kerosene from crude oil. ... A cropduster spreading pesticide. ... Many of the compounds which are dangerous to the environment can also be harmful to humans in the long-term range and come from mineral and fossil sources or are produced by humans themselves. ... Mycoremediation is a form of bioremediation, the process of using microbes to return an environment (usually soil) contaminated by pollutants to a less contaminated state. ...

Mycelial mats have been suggested (see Paul Stamets) as having potential as biological filters, removing chemicals and microorganisms from soil and water. The use of fungal mycelia to accomplish this has been termed "mycofiltration", although there is no reason to suspect that the process is any different from that of bioremediation using fungi. Paul Stamets next to Bridgeoporus (Oxyporus) nobilissimus. ... A cluster of Escherichia coli bacteria magnified 10,000 times. ... Mycofiltration is the process of using mushroom mycelium mats as biological filters. ...

See also

• mycorrhiza
• carbon cycle

A mycorrhiza (typically seen in the plural forms mycorrhizae or mycorrhizas, Greek for fungus roots) is the result of a mutualistic association between a fungus and a plant. ... The carbon cycle is the biogeochemical cycle by which carbon is exchanged between the biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere,and atmosphere of the Earth (other astronomical objects may have similar carbon cycles, but nothing is yet known about them). ...

Reference

• Smith, M., Bruhn, J., and Anderson, J. 1992. The fungus Armillaria bulbosa is among the largest and oldest living organisms. Nature 356:428-431.

Nature is one of the most prominent scientific journals, first published on 4 November 1869. ...

External links

• Fungal mycelium.
• Mycofiltration: A novel approach for the bio-transformation of abandoned logging roads
• The humungous fungus--ten years later