As we all know, although humans are at the top of the food chain, our body size has no advantage because there are too many behemoths in nature.
When asked who is the largest living being in the world , many people will answer the blue whale, but in fact, the number one "is someone else" .
Human body size has no advantage.
So, what is the largest living body in the world? This covers an area of nearly 9 square kilometers and is still growing crazily. Is really an "animal"?
The world's largest living organism " Armillaria ostrichii "
If is just an animal , then the blue whale is indeed a veritable giant. But if were to use living organisms as the standard, Armillaria ostrichii in the United States would be the real champion.
Blue Whale
As you can tell from the name, this guy is not really an animal, it is a fungus. This fungus is very common in the United States. Its color is mostly brown . Its stipe and ring are very large, and it looks different from other fungi.
Armillaria ostrichii
This huge Armillaria ostrichii is located in the Malheur National Forest in Oregon, USA. It was discovered by scientists from the US Forest Service in 1998. It covers an area of approximately 9.65 square meters. kilometers, which is equivalent to more than 1,000 standard football fields.
More importantly, its total mass of may be as high as 605 tons of , which has already left the Blue Whale far behind.
The location of Armillaria ostrichii
At this time, some people may have begun to imagine how big this mushroom must be. But in fact, this Armillaria ostrichii does not exist as an independent mushroom and grow to such a large size as everyone imagined, but continues to occupy the land through its own hyphae .
Therefore, does not have a "cap" as big as a football field, and naturally it does not have a stipe that cannot be hugged by many people. It is visually difficult for to meet our expectations for the world's largest living organism.
So, how did this tiny fungus grow to be so big?
Imaginary Armillaria ostrichii
How does Armillaria ostrichii grow to be so big?
It turns out that after Armillaria spores enter the soil, as long as the environment is suitable, it can germinate, and let its hyphae and hyphae continue to extend around.
In this case, you will think that it is just an ordinary fungus on the surface, but if you go deep into the ground, you will find that its root system has already spread all over the land under your feet.
For example, if the underground mycelium of Armillaria ostrichii is really extremely tough, then it is almost impossible to pull it out, because its root system not only spreads very widely, but also takes root very deeply.
Black hyphae
It is worth mentioning that in the process of continuous growth, , a huge life form, also produces many fruiting bodies. These fruiting bodies are the fungi we see on the ground. The height of the stipe is only about 10 centimeters , and the cap is almost the same as ordinary mushrooms .
The fruiting body of Armillaria ostrichii
So people position it as the largest living organism in the world, which is actually based on its hyphae that continue to grow underground. If
is compared to the size of the fruiting bodies, then it is impossible for it to be on the list. In addition, scientists said that if you want to grow to a scale of nearly 9 square kilometers, you must not only rely on the special growth characteristics of its hyphae, but also have something to do with its growth years.
Scientists say that based on growth rate estimates, the age of this giant mushroom is about 2,400 years old, but some people also speculate that its actual age may be 8,650 years old.
Fungi Growth
From this point of view, no matter how big the fruiting body of Armillaria ostrichii is, in terms of qualifications, it is indeed an "old man". However, for thousands of years, it has been quietly expanding its territory in the forest, and it is indeed difficult for people to pay attention to it.
It should be noted that although Armillaria ostrichii has won the title of the world's largest living organism by virtue of its years of dormancy on the American continent, the trees living near it are not having such an easy life. , because this guy has "pathogenic" .
Armillaria ostrichii is pathogenic
In fact, from the above introduction The domineering development of Armillaria ostrichii underground can be seen that this guy will extend his hyphae to all possible places. . In this process, will fight with the root system of the tree. Judging from the current situation of , the trees are basically defeated.
The structure of the fungus
Armillaria ostrichii is pathogenic to Douglas fir, fir and other trees, and it specifically targets young trees. According to statistical data, conifers under the age of 10 are more likely to be infected and die. Moreover, this guy is not showy on the surface, but his underground mycelium is extremely domineering.
When its hyphae meet a tree as they extend, they will continuously attack the sapwood of the tree. And this sapwood is actually the position between the bark and heartwood. This attack will cause the tree to rot directly from the root.
More importantly, Armillaria ostrichii will not stop immediately after success. Its black root-like hyphae will extend under the bark of the tree and continue to penetrate deep into the interior.
can be seen growing wildly on the roots of the tree
. This is probably "Bacteria cannot be distinguished by their appearance" . In fact, scientists discovered that this huge Armillaria ostrichii is also related to its harm to surrounding trees. Because when a tree dies in a large area and there is a large amount of mycelium under the bark, it can basically be "diagnosed". It is in the process of searching for the cause of tree disease that people discovered this life form that extends over a huge area.
Mycelium
It is worth mentioning that Armillaria ostrichii is still very difficult to eliminate because it is very adaptable to the environment. Even if a large number of trees die, it can still live its own life under the trunk." saprophytic life" . People have tried to use chemicals to get rid of them, but the results are not good.
Chemical drugs do not work
Because as long as its hyphae still exist underground, then after the chemical drugs fail, it will still take firm steps to make a comeback . Therefore, when Armillaria ostrichii is found to infect trees in some areas, tree species that are resistant to will be chosen to plant.
Speaking of this, some people may think of Yunnan fungi . These seemingly harmless fungi can take the lives of some people every year, so every time the fungus-eating season comes, the local government will repeatedly remind the public not to eat them at will to avoid poisoning.
Various fungi
Looking at it this way, fungi seem to only pose a threat to humans and other organisms in the environment. So, should we eliminate them all?
Fungi are our friends
When we judge the value of fungi from the perspective of ’s vested interests, it is indeed easy to conclude that this thing is useless. But humans should learn to "think like a mountain" , put aside the prejudices generated from the inherent perspective, and objectively look at the meaning of biological existence.
Armillaria ostrichii
Fungi were born far earlier than humans, and they have always been important decomposers in the food chain. On the surface, spreads its roots wildly, but in fact it secretes special enzymes, and then decomposes organic matter , and finally releases it into the soil.
Mycologist Paul Stephen said, “The tiny fungi that like to implant in wood chips will change the rules of the game in the world in the fields of medicine, environmentally friendly materials, green fuel, pollution control and other fields.Fungi are our allies, without them the planet wouldn't work. "
Judging from the long history of the development of fungi, they are indeed unusually strong . Because they have special antibiotics in their bodies, they can resist many pathogens and prevent themselves from being infected. Scientists once discovered that some fungi It is shocking that it has the ability to defend against smallpox .
Fungi are decomposers
In terms of the unique way of survival of fungi, it has an irreplaceable position in the experiments of scientists. , fungi and even have the function of quickly repairing the ecology.
In this case, humans should not only not dislike it, but also find the password for ecological balance from it.
Furthermore, the various components in fungi can also provide human beings. Society has made a huge contribution.
For example, since the 1940s, fungi have been used to make antibiotics, biopesticides, etc. Even the mycelium that has spread so widely but is useless in our eyes is also a problem. A kind of magical material. So from a certain perspective, fungi are actually full of treasures . The key point is whether humans will use it.
Fungi have been used to make antibiotics
Nature can always create many miracles. Organisms, whether it is Armillaria ostrichii we are talking about today, or other organisms with "the best on earth" , they have proven that different organisms have their own unique survival advantages
.
