The Special Attribute
Our hypothesis is based in part on the idea that certain fungi (nearly all fungi) exposed to toxic sewage sludge succumb to toxic insult, while others not only tolerate toxins, but in fact produce new chemicals to defend themselves against the assaulting toxins and against other microbes.
Over recent months we isolated and initiated the in vitro culture of a couple of Mycena spp. We continue to explore ways to make Mycena spp. produce mushrooms, but no luck yet. Meanwhile, it is a useful lab tool for the next stage of the work.
Yesterday, I returned to a toxic sewage sludge dump-site in the Cascade foothills of Marckworth State Forest (King County, WA) to see if one or more of the other sludge-tolerant fungi may have emerged this Spring, and if so, which ones, and if any other fungi may have overcome the sludge assault, now 18 months after the fact.
It was well worth the hike and bike in, on this first hot day of Spring above North Fork Creek. As expected, one of our great fungal remediators pushed new mushrooms up out of the sludge polluted soil into daylight. Hypholoma fasiculare emerged from a berm of soil, woody debris and leftover sewage sludge that had been piled up at a trail entrance to block access from the inquisitive eyes of those who may be concerned about the release of toxic wastes into our air, soils, waters, foods and biota.
Collections were made and we will begin to determine if we can coax this toxin-metabolizing Basidiomycete to work with us in the lab, a noble task. A careful search of the surrounding sludged areas revealed not a single other fungal species. Sludge tolerance is a special attribute.
Hypholoma emerging from sludge-covered woody debris and soil after 18 months
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