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Fungi (Mycena leaiana)

Fungi play a critical role in ecosystem function and the global carbon cycle. They provide the invaluable service of breaking down complex carbon molecules like lignin. They do a superb job of freeing up chemicals that would otherwise be bound up in recalcitrant organic matter (i.e. difficult to decompose). If they did not perform this service then the natural deposition of organic matter would quickly pile up around us. Fungi consume organic matter and respire carbon dioxide. This makes them heterotrophs meaning they get their carbon from consuming other organisms; however, they can also be described as decomposers.

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Portions of some fungi are both macroscopic and microscopic. Spores and mycelium (or hyphae) are typically microscopic while reproductive structures like mushrooms are often macroscopic. Mushrooms are typically ephemeral reproductive structures that often appear after rains and forest fires. Some like this Mycena leaiana are relatively conspicuous and provide subtle clues about the fungi hiding in the soil, leaf litter, and logs. This particular species is widely observed throughout the eastern United States. Fungi are typically relatively secretive (or at least not easily observed). Most of their biomass occurs as small microscopic threads (mycelium[link to plate]) that are used to explore substrates, find organic matter, and break it down. In a teaspoon of soil there can be over 100 yards (or meters) of fungal hyphae. Fungi have also provided many important antibiotics that have been used to fight human diseases.

Although you might think that an individual fungus is small. The largest individual organism in the world is probably a fungus growing in Oregon. This particular behemoth is believed to be over 2,000 years old and is growing over 2,000 acres ([965 ha] or 1,665 American football fields). Some fungi are much more subtle like the molds you find growing on bread or cheese. Next time you cut off the end of some moldy cheese and enjoy a fresh slice, keep in mind that what you're observing are the reproductive structures. The "fresh" slice is probably filled with mycelium.

This footage was shot over 7 days using a Canon Digital Rebel controlled by a laptop running the program RemoteCapture 2.7.