User:Vjewel15/Sporocarp (fungi)

 Introduction  Insert this citation after "The fruitbody is part of the sexual phase of a fungal life cycle". Epigeous sporocarps have mycelia that extend underground far beyond the mother sporocarp. There is a wider distribution of mycelia underground than sporocarps above ground. There is evidence that hypogeous fungi evolved from epigeous fungi [Insert this statement before "During their evolution, truffles lost the ability to disperse their spores by air currents, and propagate instead by animal consumption and subsequent defecation].

 Ecology  A wide variety of animals feed on epigeous and hypogeous fungi. The mammals that feed on fungi are as diverse as fungi themselves and are called mycophages. Squirrels and chipmunks eat the greatest variety of fungi, but there are many other mammals that also forage on fungi, such as marsupials, mice, rates, voles, lemmings, deer, shrews, rabbits, weasles, and more. Some animals feed on fungi oportunisticaly, while others rely on them as a primary source of food. Hypogeous sporocarps are a highly nutritious primary food source from some small mammals like the Tasmanian Bettong. Evidence of this is that the composition of fungi in the diet of Tasmanian Bettong was positively correlated with body condition and growth rates of pouch young. Ectomycorrhizal or hypogeous fungi form a symbiotic relationship with small mycophagous mammals. Hypogeous sporocarps depend on small fungivorous mammals to disperse their spores since they are underground and cannot utilize wind dispersal like epigeous sporocarps. Underground fungi also play a role is a three-way symbiotic relationship with small marsupials and Australian Eucalyptus forests. In Australian Eucalyptus forests, hypogeous sporocarp dispersal is positively affected by fires. After a fire, most if not all epigeous sporocarps are wiped out, leaving hypogeous sporocarps to be the primary source of fungi for small marsupials. The ability of hypogeous fungi to resist disasters, such as fire, could be due to their evolved ability to survive the digestive systems of animals in order to distribute. Sporocarps can also serve as a food source for other fungi. Sporocarps can be hosts to diverse communities of fungicolous fungi. Short-lived sporocarps that evolved little investment in defense mechanisms are more often victim to fungicolous fungi than long-lived sporocarps. Resupinate sporocarps, sporocarps that have a higher surface area to volume ratio, are hosts to a higher diversity of fungicolous fungi than pileate sporocarps.

 Uses  Medicinal

Studies have shown that truffles possess bioactive properties, such as antimutagenic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory  , and cytotoxic activity. Some common medicinal functions of fungi in China are hemostasis, antibacterial, immunity improvement, detoxication, and antinflammatory. Fifteen species, including Ganoderma lucidum, are the most important or commonly used medicinal fungi, and 26 species, including Agaricus bisporus, are commonly cultivated in China as food or for medicinal products. Ganoderma lucidum is a very biomedically important mushroom. Ganoderma contain polysaccharides that inhibit the growth of tumors and imporove immune system function. Astraeus hygrometricus has immunostimulatory properties via enhancing T-helper and natural killer cells and other molecules that help fight off harmful organisms.

Culinary

Mushrooms and truffles are very popular and highly regarded in cooking due to their flavor, texture, nutritional value, and potential health benefits. The most valued truffles on the market are the black truffle (Tuber melanosporum), burgundy truffle (Tuber uncinatum or Tuber aestivum), and white truffle (Tuber magnatum).