Bird’s Nest Fungus—High-Flying Eggs!

Some people just can’t get enough fungi—stuffed, sautéed, or even raw on salad.
Others can’t stand the fuzzy stuff that grows on dead things. Otherwise, we
don’t pay much attention to these earthy protuberances. Why are we so often
blinded by our busyness to stop and indulge our childlike curiosity?

“The works of the Lord are great, studied by all who have pleasure in them”
(Psalm 111:2). Take, for instance, the bird’s nest fungus of family Nidulariaceae. This impressive little
organism is common throughout the forests of North America and the rest of the
world. But unless you pay close attention, you’ll probably overlook this little
gem on the forest floor, nestled on a shady patch of rotting wood. It looks,
for all the world, like a cluster of eggs in a miniaturized nest.

Each nest has several discs (.04–.11 in. [1–3 mm] in diameter), bearing some
resemblance to bird’s eggs. It doesn’t look anything like the familiar mushroom,
so you might dismiss it as a UFO (unidentified fungus object). But once you
understand the purpose behind this strange shape, you’ll have another reason
to talk about the Creator’s wonderful design.

How Do the Spores Get Launched?

Most fungi depend on outside forces, like wind and animals, to disperse the
next generation. But this fungus boasts a one-of-a-kind dispersal mechanism.

Inside the “eggs,” technically known as peridioles, are microscopic
spores. Each egg is surrounded by a delicate membrane that eventually rips open
to release the spores. So why are the spores sitting inside a cup?

The impact of a raindrop launches the eggs out of the nest to germinate nearby.

When a drop of rain hits the cup (actually called a splash cup), the impact
launches the eggs up and out. This is similar to cereal leaping out of your
bowl when you dump in the milk too quickly. Unlike cereal in a bowl, the eggs
are much lighter and smaller, and the walls of the cup are very steep. One raindrop
can splash the “eggs” several feet into the air.

That’s not the most astonishing part. One notable group of bird’s nest fungus,
the genus Cyathus, has an additional trick up its sleeve—literally.

Attached to each egg is a long coiled thread with a sticky end tucked in a
tear-away sleeve (Figure 1). When a raindrop falls into the cup and hurls
the “egg” through the air, the cord is unleashed from the torn sleeve, straightening
out several inches. If the cord brushes against a twig, the sticky end clings
to it. Like a tetherball, the cord winds quickly around the twig, binding the
egg up high so that the spores, once released from the egg, drift far and wide
by air currents.

Of course, not every egg gets hitched up in the undergrowth. Some land nearby
and shed spores at ground level. Some never leave the cup at all. Some even
get eaten by rodents, being dispersed after the spores pass through the rodent’s
digestive tract.

The Next Generation

Once the spores land on a suitable surface, the next generation germinates
and grows into fungal threads called hyphae. These threads weave through moist
woody debris, slowly consuming the wood to fuel their growth. This process,
which many other fungi and bacteria do as well, is largely how wood rots. Eventually,
when two different mating strains merge, they form another bird’s nest fungus.

The dramatic dispersal of this useful fungus is just one of countless wonderful
little plays acted out on God’s great stage. It is very likely that many other
species of fungi, with other unique life cycles, are yet to be discovered. This
is certainly true in remote rain forests, but it is even possible in woods near
your own home. New discoveries don’t require a trained biologist to find them,
but they do take an intense curiosity, a keen eye, a patient heart, and most
probably, a magnifying glass.

As we learn the subtle yet incredible design features found in all creatures,
we are studying evidence of the Creator’s own character as Artist and Engineer.
This should provide us with many new reasons to worship Him, proclaiming His
great glory to all who will hear.

SourceThis article originally appeared on answersingenesis.org

Views: 38