Fungi

Background:

The carbon cycle describes the process of the exchange of carbon throughout the geochemical cycle of the Earth, and is a vital component for life on the planet. Part of the carbon cycle includes the decomposition of compounds, allowing carbon to be renewed and used in other forms. One key component of this part of the process is the decomposition of plant material and woody fibers.

Some of the key agents in decomposing woody fibers are fungi. The authors of a recent research article on wood decomposition by fungi identified fungi traits that determine decomposition rates and also noted links between certain traits[1]. In particular, the slow growing strains of fungi tend to be better able to survive and grow in the presence of environmental changes with respect to moisture and temperature, while the faster growing strains tend to be less robust to the same changes.