Forest floor narrative

This is Stereum ostrea, common known as the false turkey tail. As much as I love finding really rare species that are hard to find, I have a wonderful appreciation for species that dominate the globe.

S. ostrea commonly decomposes and parasitizes oak trees, which also have an insane diversity and appears all over the planet. Besides having a readily available food source, it has the ability to rapidly break down lignin, a compound that gives wood its structural integrity.

A common trend in fungal evolution is the specialization of breaking down specific compounds. This why we have white rot (fungi that break down lignin) and brown rot (fungi that break down cellulose) species.

It’s rare for fungal species to break down a wide variety of plant parts, which is why when you find this species, you usually find other fungi that break down other compounds. The specialization of breaking down lignin/cellulose decreases competition allowing the species to do really really well as energy is allocated to synthesizing more digestive enzymes as opposed to chemicals that deter competitor growth.

PS. Check out the algae growing on its cap, and it’s smooth, non-pored underside. I wonder if the algae provide the fungus with any sugars???

As humans spread invasive species around and alter fire regimes, we change the basic functioning of single keystone species, which ultimately radiates to other species. With whitebark pines declining from 40%-90% throughout their range, these high elevation regions are drastically being transformed. Grizzly bears depend on these fatty pine nuts to get them through the harshest winter months when little else is available. As these tree populations decrease, the fight for survival intensifies. It is time we all think about plant conservation and our role as humans in protecting these truly wild places. I’m here to remind you, and remind myself, that the struggle for survival in Yellowstone is ramping up, and that the decimation of one species radiates throughout the food web, which increases competition, which unfortunately increases the rates of human-bear conflicts.

Dwindling Pines increase bear-human conflict near Yellowstone National Park As humans spread invasive species around and alter fire regimes, we change the basic functioning of single keystone species, which ultimately radiates to other species. With whitebark pines declining from 40%-90% throughout their range, these high elevation regions are drastically being transformed.

Here is an example of fungal dispersal from an Australian marsupial. They disperse ectomycorrhizal fungi which still positively impacts arbuscular mycorrhizal trees, like the endangered Wollemi pine. We now have concrete evidence that generalist marsupials from down under, disperse ectomycorrhizal spores and enhance forest connectivity.

Fungal dispersal from down-under; how one Australian mammal spreads mycorrhizal spores Here is an example of fungal dispersal from an Australian marsupial. They disperse ectomycorrhizal fungi which still positively impacts arbuscular mycorrhizal trees, like the endangered Wollemi pine. We now have concrete evidence that generalist marsupials from down under, disperse ectomycorrhizal s

Arbuscular Mycorrhizae; Setting The Evolutionary Trajectory Of Land Plants

Today, we see that the modern forest floor was set in motion by the earliest land plants and AMF. It’s neat to find evolutionary and ecological trajectories, but they are never a straight line with an end goal. Species compete, coalesce, and parasitize their way to extend their existence. The vast majority go extinct. What we see in nature are the descendants of organisms that made it. We also get to see the plasticity of their ancestor’s genes, in a cutthroat concerto called life on Earth.

Arbuscular mycorrhizae; Setting the evolutionary trajectory of land plants What set terrestrial ecosystems into motion? You guessed it! Mutualistic fungi!

Hey folks! So this is my first post in quite some time, and I want you to know that I have not forgotten about my fellow FFN fans! As you might know, I’m an adjunct professor at three colleges in Western New York. COVID-19 has completely restructured the teaching/learning platform and I have been extremely busy at work making online accessible content for my students. I simply don’t have enough time to create FFN articles since all of my time has been allocated towards recording and editing video content for the three subjects I’m teaching this semester.

I’ve taken it upon myself to share videos that are associated with forest ecology, and I just happened to make this video yesterday (November 20th). This lecture is for my environmental biology course at Buffalo State. We are in the second last unit of the semester which focuses on fire regimes and forest management.

West coast fire regimes associated with giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) In today’s lecture, we are going to look at the specific fire interactions of the West Coast. I am going to focus on one of my favorite species, the giant sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum). These massive trees require a natural fire regime for multiple reasons. From seed release, germination, an...

This is a 40 minute time lapse of a snail feeding only on elisomes of specialized plant seeds. Myrmecochorus plants entice ants to disperse their seeds. With seeds being stripped of their eliosome, (the seed structure that offers caloric reward) snails might be interacting with ants and plants in a incredibly complex ways.

Snail acting as a seed predator This is a 40 minute time lapse of a snail feeding only on elisomes of specialized plant seeds. Myrmecochorus plants entice ants to disperse their seeds. With...

June 5th

The acoustic environments found in forests around the world greatly impact the interactions and behavior of the wildlife present. Learning more about bioacoustics can lead to entirely new perspectives of ecological interactions within our planet’s forests. While appearing subtle, this has a great impact on the organization of our biosphere. From the world’s largest land animal to the simplest forms of vegetation, all life is truly informed by these invisible interactions.

Sound: How different organisms interact with these invisible vibrations ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

June 4th:

Learn about how the remnants of Buffalo's industrious past have been transformed into a rich urban ecosystem. Set into motion by the Greenway Ecological Fund and the Buffalo Museum of Science, if you're in the area and are interested in restoration ecology, Tifft Nature Preserve is a must-see. In this article, my former student Emily Volker delves into forest succession and many other ecological interactions taking place in this urban habitat.

Tifft Nature Preserve: From Rags To Riches ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

June 3rd

Contrary to the fantasy world of videogames, some of these in-game species have real-life doppelgangers. Given the millions of years of fine-tuned species adaptations, these doppelgangers happen to be even cooler than their digital counterparts. Find out more about the parasitic Hydnora africana by reading this article written by my former student Courtney Parrilla!

Hydnora africana: The real life “Piranha Plant” and Queen of Species Interactions ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

June 2nd

Red-backed salamanders are some of the most abundant vertebrates living on the forest floor. In New York State alone, there is an estimated 18 billion of them! These tiny creatures play big roles in ecosystems everywhere and their abundance can be used as an environmental indicator of forest health/age. Learn more about these animals by reading this article written by my former student Antonio Seelman!

Woodland salamanders; indicators of a healthy forest? Red-backed salamanders are some of the most abundant vertebrates living on the forest floor. In New York State alone, there is an estimated 18 billion of them! These tiny creatures play big roles in ecosystems everywhere and their abundance can be used as an environmental indicator of forest health/