![Amanita praecox 86186](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Amanita_praecox_86186.jpg)
Mycoforestry is an ecological
forest management Forest management is a branch of forestry concerned with overall administrative, legal, economic, and social aspects, as well as scientific and technical aspects, such as silviculture, protection, and forest regulation. This includes management fo ...
system implemented to enhance
forest ecosystems and plant communities through the introduction of
mycorrhizal and
saprotroph
Saprotrophic nutrition or lysotrophic nutrition is a process of chemoheterotrophic extracellular digestion involved in the processing of decayed (dead or waste) organic matter. It occurs in saprotrophs, and is most often associated with fungi ( ...
ic
fungi
A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from ...
. Mycoforestry is considered a type of
permaculture
Permaculture is an approach to land management and settlement design that adopts arrangements observed in flourishing natural ecosystems. It includes a set of design principles derived using whole-systems thinking. It applies these principle ...
and can be implemented as a beneficial component of an
agroforestry system. Mycoforestry can enhance the yields of tree crops and produce
edible mushrooms, an economically valuable product. By integrating plant-fungal associations into a forestry management system, native forests can be preserved, wood waste can be recycled back into the ecosystem,
carbon sequestration
Carbon sequestration is the process of storing carbon in a carbon pool. Carbon dioxide () is naturally captured from the atmosphere through biological, chemical, and physical processes. These changes can be accelerated through changes in lan ...
can be increased, planted restoration sites are enhanced, and the sustainability of forest ecosystems are improved.
Mycoforestry is an alternative to the practice of
clearcutting, which removes dead wood from forests, thereby diminishing nutrient availability and reducing soil depth.
[Dahlgren, R. A.; Driscoll, C. T]
The effects of whole-tree clear-cutting on soil processes at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire, USA.
''Plant and Soil.'' Volume 158, Number 2 / January 1994.
Selection of fungal species
According to
Paul Stamets
Paul Edward Stamets (born July 17, 1955) is an American mycologist and entrepreneur who sells various mushroom products through his company. He is an author and advocate of medicinal fungi and mycoremediation.
Early life
Stamets was born in ...
, the first principle for the creation of a mycoforestry system is to utilize native fungal species. Implementing a mycoforestry system provides the potential of improving restoration efforts and the possibility of economic gain through mushroom cropping and harvesting. However to utilize native fungal flora, first the relationships between present fungal species and growth substrate, and habitat need to be studied.
A simple way to introduce a mycoforestry system and enhance out-plantings for crops and forest restoration sites is to "use mycorrhizal spore
inoculum when replanting forest lands".
For this process it is best to match native trees with native mycorrhizal fungi. This method keeps and will promote the functioning of the native ecosystem, and native biodiversity.
It is assumed in a functioning forest ecosystem an underground mycelial network persists even if no fruiting bodies are visible.
[Frankland, Juliet C]
All you ever wanted to know about Mycelium.
''NWFG Newsletter.'' April 1997. (ISSN 1465-8054) Print. A period of disappearance of mushrooms from an area should not cause alarm. In order to trigger the formation of fruiting bodies, many fungal species require specific environmental conditions. Most species of fungi do not fruit year round.
Mycoforestry is an emergent scientific field and practice.
Until broadly standardized protocols are created and perfected, the collection of both current and historical ecological site conditions will improve the success of the project.
Therefore, a survey of fungal relations at the site under both prime and poor conditions is beneficial to implementation of a mycoforestry system.
Saprotrophic fungi
![Und wieder Pilze](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Und_wieder_Pilze.JPG)
The second principle is to promote saprotrophic fungi in the environment.
Saprophytic fungi are crucial to mycoforestry systems because these are the primary composers breaking down wood and returning nutrients to the soil for use by the rest of the forest ecosystem. This can be accomplished through inoculation of wood debris at site. Spored oils can be used in
chainsaws when problematic or invasive hardwood requires felling. This method is a simple means to inoculate a tree. Additionally
plug spawn can be implemented and injected into wood mass again prompting colonization by the selected fungus. Eventually repeated colonization efforts should not be necessary as many fungal life forms are strong and will spread and sustain in the soil on their own.
In management of the mycoforestry system, it is important that
dead wood
''Dead Wood'' is a 2007 British horror film, written, produced and directed by Richard Stiles and David Bryant and starring Emily Juniper, Fergus March, Rebecca Craven, Nina Kwok and John Samuel Worsey with Bryant appearing in a small role. ''D ...
be in contact with the ground. This allows fungus to reach up from the soil and decompose fallen wood releasing nutrients at a much quicker rate then if the wood is left standing.
Additionally, it is important to leave dead wood on site for decomposition back into the soil.
This philosophy is similarly based to the fact that clear cutting of a forest reduces soil nutrients and thickness.
Beneficial fungal interactions
![Armillaria mellea 620](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Armillaria_mellea_620.jpg)
The third principal is to implement species known to benefit plant species.
These are commonly mycorrhizal fungus that form long term associations with plants, often extending inside of plants roots, acting as an additional root system, and providing for better absorption of nutrients and water.
Utilizing mushroom species that attract insects could be a useful source of fish food. This practice makes the mycoforestry a larger system. Unlike most agriculture systems it helps the environment in a number of ways. It ties all biological aspects of the environment together, creating sustainable living and food production as well as sustainable fisheries similar to the ancient Hawaiian
Ahupua'a, which utilized sustainable all portions of the land for environmental and
food security
Food security speaks to the availability of food in a country (or geography) and the ability of individuals within that country (geography) to access, afford, and source adequate foodstuffs. According to the United Nations' Committee on World ...
.
Additionally fungal species can be implemented that compete with disease causing agents like
Armillaria root rot
Armillaria root rot is a fungal root rot caused by several different members of the genus ''Armillaria''. The symptoms are variable depending on the host infected, ranging from stunted leaves to chlorotic needles and dieback of twigs and branch ...
s,
to provide long term protection of the forestry system.
Additionally, the implementation of an agroforestry system performs
mycoremediation
Mycoremediation (from ancient Greek ''μύκης (mukēs)'', meaning "fungus" and the suffix ''-remedium'', in Latin meaning 'restoring balance') is a form of bioremediation in which fungi-based remediation methods are used to decontaminate the e ...
and
mycofiltration
Mycoremediation (from ancient Greek ''μύκης (mukēs)'', meaning "fungus" and the suffix ''-remedium'', in Latin meaning 'restoring balance') is a form of bioremediation in which fungi
A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of t ...
activities, cleaning up toxins and restoring the environment.
See also
*
*
Mycorestoration
References
External links
*Spinosa, Ron
Fungi and Sustainability.''Fungi magazine.'' Spring 2008.
*Stamets, Paul
''Fungi Perfecti.''
{{forestry
Forestry
Mycology
Agroforestry
Sustainable forest management
Habitat management equipment and methods
Habitat
Permaculture