ECORemediation
Mycoremediation to Ecoremeiation
As you would suspect, our practice of bioremediation uses fungus. Formally this type of remediation was called Mycoremediation. This is a term coined by my favoite mycologist Palul Staments. I love you and your work paul! But I think this should actually be called "ecoremediation"! This is because when fungus in involved many other organisms join the cause, from bacteria, to insects, to mammals and plants. All of these together, with other fungus and molds, has a synergistic effect no one alone could equal. This type of bioremediation is very effective.
The Smart Workhourse
Mycelium is a more complex network than the internet this page lives on. The Mycelium (which is the vegatative state of mushrooms) grows through the forest floor stretching as far as it can, and wraps its self around (and inside sometimes) the roots of any plant it encounters on this epic journey. Mycelium may not have senses like you and I, but it does have the ability to detect and process disturbances on the surface of the forest floor. This could be something as a foot step, a fallen tree branch or any other change in it's home. Mycelium uses this information to alert other sections of the network of a possible food source, or of possible dangers that could effect the livelihood of the Mycelium.
This Network is not only used in communicating, but also as a transport of water and nutrients to plants and of course itself. As the Mycelium stretches to the far ends of the forest it also wraps around tree roots. The Mycelium produces antibacterial enzymes that protect the Mycelium; and by default the roots it is wrapped around from harmful bacteria. This network also is able to draw moisture and nutrients from the immediately surrounding soil, or transport it from one nutrient rich part of the soil to another less nutrient rich part, which could also start the healing and regrowth of a damaged part of the forest. Can you see how fungus intergrates and helps all life?
Basically if we found some way to tap into this network we could learn more about the complex ecosystems in the forest and make efforts to protect and heal them. Since mushrooms are the base in so many of our modern medicines, and vaccines, we should protect these life giving organisms. Just as mushrooms keep us healthy, they also keep the earth healthy. Mycelium is the internet and roadways of the earth.
An experiment conducted by Toshuyiki Nakagaki (2000) demonstrates the communicative abilities of Mycelium. In this experiment he placed a maze over a petri dish filled with nutrient rich agar (a product derived from seaweed
used to solidify nutrified media for sterile tissue culture) and introduced nutritious oat flakes at an entrance and exit. He then inoculated the entrance with a culture of the slime mold Physarum polycephalum under steril conditions. As the Mycelium grew through the maze it consistently chose the shortest route to the oat flakes at the end, rejecting dead ends and empty exits, as well as splitting when presented with a choice of direction. This experiment is without a doubt amazing, and arguably demonstrates a form of intelligence.
Mycofiltration
Mycofiltration is using a living organism to filter water. The mycelium is used as a kind of membrane to filter pollutants, silt, pathogenic microorganisms as well as many toxic chemicals and heavy metals. Mycelium forms a thread like network of smart cells similar to a filter but more like...a spider web sponge. This “Spider web sponge” acts as a filter when water passes through it catching particles and even digesting some.
Antibiotics and enzymes produced by the mycelium can't break down everything, this is true. But that is what is different with ecoremediation. The mycelium makes the area now more hospitable to beneficial bacteria that now partner with fungi to breakdown the toxins and restore the ecosystem to balance.
Mycelium should not be overlooked on it's own either. Some fungus can block pathogenic bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis from reproducing and are forced into dormancy. Also polyporus umbellatus referred to as “zhu ling” is 100 % effective in inhibiting the malaria parasite.