Fungus Amoung us

[The Snark]

A tale of the weird, and almost loss of a rare tree species.

Way back when it was noticed that the Englemann Oak, Quercus Englemannii, of So. Cal was suffering from severe die back and die off.

What was strange about this die off was it appeared to happen to well cared for trees the most. All the LA County arboretums had the problem.

After a few months of scratching their heads they came to find a common denominator. The oaks that were being watered suffered the worst.
This in turn came to the discovery the Honey Fungus, Amillaria Mellea, was the culprit, attacking the roots of the oak. The oaks in their natural arid environment went mostly unaffected.

So they started checking and testing the fungus, how it spread, were other varieties involved and so on. Some of the first genetic type matching was done on this fungus.

And a mind numbing result came out of these lab tests. The samples of fungi taken from the roots of oaks out by Riverside were the same as the samples at Santa Anita Botanical Gardens. Not just a type match, it was the same exact fungi. In one particular test they identified a colony that was over 35 miles across.

 

[BishopiMaster]

A tale of the weird, and almost loss of a rare tree species.

Way back when it was noticed that the Englemann Oak, Quercus Englemannii, of So. Cal was suffering from severe die back and die off.

What was strange about this die off was it appeared to happen to well cared for trees the most. All the LA County arboretums had the problem.

After a few months of scratching their heads they came to find a common denominator. The oaks that were being watered suffered the worst.
This in turn came to the discovery the Honey Fungus, Amillaria Mellea, was the culprit, attacking the roots of the oak. The oaks in their natural arid environment went mostly unaffected.

So they started checking and testing the fungus, how it spread, were other varieties involved and so on. Some of the first genetic type matching was done on this fungus.

And a mind numbing result came out of these lab tests. The samples of fungi taken from the roots of oaks out by Riverside were the same as the samples at Santa Anita Botanical Gardens. Not just a type match, it was the same exact fungi. In one particular test they identified a colony that was over 35 miles across.

What is the significance of the santa anita botanical gardens?

 

[The Snark]

What is the significance of the santa anita botanical gardens?

They had some of the oldest Englemann Oaks. As I understand it, they spearheaded the effort to preserve and protect the oaks.

 

[BishopiMaster]

They had some of the oldest Englemann Oaks. As I understand it, they spearheaded the effort to preserve and protect the oaks.

OH its the same literal 35 stretch of fungus, durr, holy shit man yeah.

 

[The Snark]

As Dr. Enari expressed when the data came in, "That's one large organism." There is another fungi in Oregon covering several thousand acres that periodically kills the forest that grows on it then recedes down into the soil. A few decades later, wash, rinse repeat. I think it is attributed as being the world largest individual organism since it reaches quite a way down into the soil.

 

[schmiggle]

Armillaria is really amazing. I read somewhere that the Oregon fungus is probably 2,000 years old. Plus the mushrooms are tasty.

 

[The Snark]

Armillaria is really amazing. I read somewhere that the Oregon fungus is probably 2,000 years old. Plus the mushrooms are tasty.

There was quite a bit of controversy over The Blob as a couple of botanists referred to it. To it's age was attached 'in it's present incarnation'. Then 'it has no right to exist' and the opposite it has every reason to exist and the logical why aren't there more of them? And the ecosystem aspect. Creates it's own, modifies it to it's liking and then the why? Why does it stop? Why the boundaries?
You have any info on it?

I admit my ignorance here as I was enjoying the mycologists, the botanists and the biologists in hot debate. And the phrase that came up, a bunch of fleas arguing over who owns the dog.

 

[schmiggle]

There was quite a bit of controversy over The Blob as a couple of botanists referred to it. To it's age was attached 'in it's present incarnation'. Then 'it has no right to exist' and the opposite it has every reason to exist and the logical why aren't there more of them? And the ecosystem aspect. Creates it's own, modifies it to it's liking and then the why? Why does it stop? Why the boundaries?
You have any info on it?

I admit my ignorance here as I was enjoying the mycologists, the botanists and the biologists in hot debate. And the phrase that came up, a bunch of fleas arguing over who owns the dog.

I don't know much about it, but usually the thing that stops these fungi from growing bigger is competitors. In addition I believe the one in Oregon is actually composed of six independent gene lines (the way you and I are composed of two--that's a little complicated, and if you like I can explain, but otherwise I'll leave it be).

 

[The Snark]

In addition I believe the one in Oregon is actually composed of six independent gene lines (the way you and I are composed of two--that's a little complicated, and if you like I can explain, but otherwise I'll leave it be).

Sounds frighteningly close to biological quantum physics. Shades of Prof B.W. down in the catacombs of Life Science at CT, as I stared at the electron scopes barfings and my brain slowly atrophying as he tried to explain what I was looking at... I think I might just pass on that one.