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We live in a fungal world


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We live in a fungal world, that we are just beginning to seriously explore. I was listening to a podcast about someone in the forest service who said they barely mention fungal networks in forestry colleges. If true, it would be like studying the human body, but ignoring the heart and circulatory system.

Does anyone know what the current position of the forest service is in fungal networks?

The only thing I've read online is where they are considering using fungicide to kill an oak fungus. My first thoughts on that were about potential unintended consequences of killing fungal networks in a forest.

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I know that some of the Forest Service employees work on fungal issues. I have a CD that they produced on shelf fungus somewhere around here if I could find it.   I also have an mushroom identification site of theirs bookmarked. 
 

I’ve seen much more forestry literature focusing on mycorrhizal fungus in the last two or three years. Not that I see much literature, but I do see some. 
 

When I came through forestry school, granted it was many years ago, fungus was never mentioned. 
 

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5 hours ago, Kevin Hoover said:

When I came through forestry school, granted it was many years ago, fungus was never mentioned. 

That confirms what I heard. Seems almost like malpractice with what we have known for some time about mycorrhizal networks and how (like the bacteria in our guts that we would starve without) they are vital to forest health.

From what I have learned recently, all terrestrial plant life on earth (with one or two exceptions that prove the rule) depends on fungi.

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I think it has been long understood how fungus plays a major role in the decay process of wood.  Likewise, parasitic fungus was understood. Mycorrhizal not so much. But I’d point to the universities, rather than the Forest Service, for lack of earlier research. Also realize that once initial research has been published, it snowballs. 
 

I’ll have to approach some forestry students and enquire what they’re being taught today. Keep in mind, my studies were in the 1970’s. I’m sure much has changed in 40 years.   

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