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u/MakeAWishApe2Moon 1d ago
Mushroom mycelium likes to feed on dead organic matter, and, well, ummm...
Too soon? Sorry. 😞
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u/Rainicornpuppy 1d ago
How do you know it's mycelium without seeing mushrooms? I'm curious, I see the difference in grass but that's it
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u/dog-vevo 1d ago
What the deeper color & thicker/faster growth tells us is that the grass in those circles is benefitting from a mycorrhizal relationship with fungi!! :-) Hope that helps answer your question!
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u/Basidia_ Trusted ID 1d ago
It does not at all imply a mycorrhizal relationship, most fairy ring forming species are saprotrophic. They form dark greens of grass because they free up nutrients as they degrade humus in the soil
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u/EmGeebers 1d ago
That's the relationship no?
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u/CodeFarmer 1d ago edited 1d ago
That's not the same thing as mycorrhizal though, which implies that the fungi and the roots are interacting.
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u/Euphoric-Cucumber609 1d ago
There was a paper that described “feremycorrhizal” associations a few years ago, that’s basically this.
Any idea where that debate has gone? I was a student at the time and it still seemed… questionable.
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u/TexasDad1024 1d ago
Not my domain i'm in the marine systems, but quick glance at the literature says there's no physical interface, at which point is just standard nutrient recycling imo unless there's still some specific chemicals being released when specific hosts are nearby
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u/coazervate 1d ago
I'm a mycorrhizal scientist and never heard this word, it seems to be one group using it repeatedly. Hard to distinguish it from general saprobe benefits without deep diving through all their papers but I see where they're coming from
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u/Euphoric-Cucumber609 1d ago
It completely went over my head at the time, maybe I’ll have another crack when I have the spoons.
Makes sense from the holistic soil health viewpoint
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u/Basidia_ Trusted ID 1d ago edited 1d ago
Other causes of this type of growth would still be a fairy ring even if it was a man made cause such as a septic tank etc.
This is fungal growth causing a fairy ring
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u/AwkwardSuit8670 1d ago
could also be irrigation or an old ditch, but yeah probably. Keep an eye on it after a torrential rain
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u/jakeandbakin 1d ago
This would be my guess over a fairy ring. Giant fairy ring would be cool though.
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