Mycelium - wikipedia Mycelium Fungal mycelium Microscopic view of a mycelium. This image covers a one - millimeter square. Another microscopic view of a mycelium. Numbered ticks are 230 μm apart. Oyster mushroom ( Pleurotus ostreatus ) growing on coffee grounds Mycelium as seen under a log Mycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus or fungus - like bacterial colony, 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 mycelium are found in and on soil and many other substrates. A typical single spore germinates into a homokaryotic mycelium, which can not reproduce sexually ; when two compatible homokaryotic mycelia join and form a dikaryotic mycelium, that mycelium 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 : Is this the largest organism in the world ? This 2,400 - acre ( 970 - hectare ) site in eastern Oregon had a contiguous growth of mycelium before logging roads cut through it. Estimated at 1,665 football fields in size and 2,200 years old, this one fungus has killed the forest above it several times over, and in so doing has built deeper soil layers that allow the growth of ever - larger stands of trees. Mushroom - forming forest fungi are unique in that their mycelial mats can achieve such massive proportions. -- Paul Stamets, Mycelium Running Through the mycelium, a fungus absorbs nutrients from its environment. It does this in a two - stage process. First, the hyphae secrete enzymes onto or into the food source, which break down biological polymers into smaller units such as monomers. These monomers are then absorbed into the mycelium by facilitated diffusion and active transport. Mycelium is vital in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems for their role in the decomposition of plant material. They contribute to the organic fraction of soil, and their growth releases carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere ( see carbon cycle ). Ectomycorrhizal extramatrical mycelium, as well as the mycelium of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi increase 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. `` Mycelium '', like `` fungus '', can be considered a mass noun, a word that can be either singular or plural. The term `` mycelia '', though, like `` fungi '', is often used as the preferred plural form. Sclerotia are compact or hard masses of mycelium. Contents 1 Uses 2 See also 3 References 4 External links Uses One of the primary roles of fungi in an ecosystem is to decompose organic compounds. Petroleum products and some pesticides ( typical soil contaminants ) are organic molecules ( i.e., they are built on a carbon structure ), and thereby present a potential carbon source for fungi. Hence, fungi have the potential to eradicate such pollutants from their environment unless the chemicals prove toxic to the fungus. This biological degradation is a process known as bioremediation. 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 mycelium to accomplish this has been termed mycofiltration. Knowledge of the relationship between mycorrhizal fungi and plants suggests new ways to improve crop yields. When spread on logging roads, mycelium can act as a binder, holding new soil in place and preventing washouts until woody plants can be established. Since 2007, a company called Ecovative Design has been developing alternatives to polystyrene and plastic packaging by growing mycelium in agricultural waste. The two ingredients are mixed together and placed into a mold for 3 -- 5 days to grow into a durable material. Depending on the strain of mycelium used, they make many different varieties of the material including water absorbent, flame retardant, and dielectric. Fungi are essential for converting biomass into compost, as they decompose feedstock components such as lignin, which many other composting microorganisms can not. Turning a backyard compost pile will commonly expose visible networks of mycelia that have formed on the decaying organic material within. Compost is an essential soil amendment and fertilizer for organic farming and gardening. Composting can divert a substantial fraction of municipal solid waste from landfills. See also Thallus References Jump up ^ Stamets, Paul. Mycelium Running, Ten Speed Press, U.S.A. 2005 ( p. 45, caption to figure 60 ) Jump up ^ Kile, Meredith ( September 13, 2013 ). `` How to replace foam and plastic packaging with mushroom experiments ''. Al Jazeera America. Jump up ^ `` Composting - Compost Microorganisms ''. Cornell University. Retrieved 17 April 2014. Jump up ^ Epstein, Eliot ( 2011 ). Industrial Composting : Environmental Engineering and Facilities Management. CRC Press. ISBN 143984531X. External links Mycofiltration : A novel approach for the bio-transformation of abandoned logging roads Paul Stamets : Six ways mushrooms can save the world The mycelium Eben Bayer 's Talk about Greensulate at the TED conference Microbiology : Fungus Structure Reproduction / spore teleomorph / sexual : Zygospore Ascospore / Ascus Basidiospore / Basidium / Teliospore anamorph / asexual : Sporangium Conidium Chlamydospore Oidium Pycniospore Other Hypha Haustorium Mycelium Cell wall Growth patterns Dimorphic fungi Mold Yeast Mushroom Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mycelium&oldid=801112080 '' Categories : Fungal morphology and anatomy Talk Contents About Wikipedia Беларуская Български Brezhoneg Català Čeština Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français Galego Հայերեն Íslenska Italiano עברית ქართული Қазақша Кыргызча Latviešu Lietuvių Македонски Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча Plattdüütsch Polski Português Runa Simi Русский Scots Seeltersk Simple English Slovenščina Српски / srpski Suomi Svenska Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt Walon 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 17 September 2017, at 18 : 50. 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Question: where are the bodies (mycelia) of these organisms located
Answer: soil and many other substrates