In one of the latest episodes from Ur Vår Jord Podcast, the role of mushrooms in other contexts than as food for us humans was discussed, namely as a communication network for trees and their families, etc.
In the book “The Secret Life of Trees” Peter Wohlleben explores the life and communication system of trees. He talks about how trees communicate with each other through a network of underground fungi called Mycorrhiza. These fungi help trees exchange nutrients and information with each other.

The fungi act as a kind of Internet connection for trees, creating a complex network that allows trees to warn each other of dangers such as predators or disease. The fungi’s “transmission speed” is also much faster than the tree’s, which means that the tree can more quickly send help to damaged branches, etc.
What is Mycorrhiza?
Mycorrhiza is a collaboration between plant roots and fungi that occur naturally in the soil. “Mycorrhiza” literally means “fungus root” in Greek and refers to the symbiotic relationship between plant and fungus.
In a mycorrhiza, the fungus sends out fine threads, called hyphae, which surround and penetrate the plant’s roots. These hyphae form an extension of the roots and thereby increase the absorption area of the roots in the soil. The fungus gives the plant access to minerals and nutrients that are difficult for the plant to reach on its own, while the plant in turn provides the fungus with carbohydrates that it needs to survive.
Mycorrhizae are found everywhere in the forest and other natural ecosystems. It is an example of how cooperation between organisms can be beneficial for both parties. Research has also shown that mycorrhizae can improve soil structure, increase its ability to store carbon, and help fight certain soil-borne diseases.
Oyster Mussel: Carnivorous Vegan Food
Other mushrooms discussed in the episode are the oyster mussel, which therefore “hunts” and kills its prey; the nematodes!

The oyster mussel can produce special threads, called “nematophilic hyphae”, which are adapted to trap nematodes. These hyphae are structured in a way that makes it easy for the nematodes to get stuck in them.
Once the nematodes are in the glue in the hyphae, the fungus starts producing enzymes. These break down the bodies and make them available for the fungus to use as a food source.
This is particularly interesting because fungi are not normally known to capture and kill other organisms to use as food. Instead, they usually depend on breaking down dead organic matter to survive.
Scientific article describing the killer mushroom:
A carnivorous mushroom paralyzes and kills nematodes via a volatile ketone
The carnivorous mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus uses an unknown toxin to rapidly paralyze and kill nematode prey upon contact. We report that small lollipop-shaped structures (toxocysts) on fungal hyphae are nematicidal and that a volatile ketone, 3-octanone, is detected in these fragile toxocysts. Treatment of Caenorhabditis elegans with 3-octanone recapitulates the rapid paralysis, calcium influx, and neuronal cell death arising from fungal contact. Moreover, 3-octanone disrupts cell membrane integrity, resulting in extracellular calcium influx into cytosol and mitochondria, propagating cell death throughout the entire organism. Last, we demonstrate that structurally related compounds are also biotoxic to C. elegans, with the length of the ketone carbon chain being crucial. Our work reveals that the oyster mushroom has evolved a specialized structure containing a volatile ketone to disrupt the cell membrane integrity of its prey, leading to rapid cell and organismal death in nematodes.
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