INTERVIEW WITH A FUNGUS

An award winning essay by Alaskan writer Diane Pleninger

 

D.P. Good evening, viewers. Our guest this evening is Pilobolus crystallinus, author

of the award winning best seller, “Do We Need Mankind? A Fungal Perspective”. Mr.

Pilobolus is a member of the kingdom Fungi, class Zygomycetes. He is a scholar,

lecturer, dung-dweller and author of numerous scientific articles and papers as well as

several books for popular audiences. Welcome, Mr. Pilobolus.

 

P.c. Thank you, Diane. Good to be here.

 

D.P. Mr. Pilobolus, your most recent work raises tantalizing questions about the future

of the biosphere and the role that you and other inhabitants of this planet will play in it.

Tell us how you came to write this book.

 

P.c. The book resulted from a series of symposia I attended over the past two centuries

under the sponsorship of the World Federation of Fungi, on the topic, “What Does Nature Need?” The

Academy of the WFF is constituted of one delegate from each family of fungi. I was fortunate to

represent the Pilobolaceae. Conferences were held decadally in many different parts of the world.

Matters particular to the host locale were given close

consideration, but the global perspective of the Academy was never eclipsed.

 

D.P. The 19th, 20th and 21st centuries have been a revolutionary period in the

biosphere. How have fungi been affected by the events of modern history?

 

P.c. The modern history of the fungi, which I date from about 400m years ago, has

been a remarkable success story. The fungi occupy two vital niches in nature whose

importance has never been challenged. In one niche, we are drivers of the carbon cycle,

elite teams of detritivores whose mission is to digest organic matter and return the

component parts to the ecological system. Without our work, life on earth would long

since have ground to a halt for lack of raw materials. In another niche, we act in

partnership with the roots of plants to extend their reach into the soil environment and

enhance their uptake of water and nutrients. These partnerships are called mycorrhizas,

myco for the fungus, rhiza for the root. Animals in turn feed on plants and benefit from

this arrangement. So the fungi play two very distinct roles worldwide, and both roles are

critical to maintaining the biosphere in good working order.

 

D.P. Where does mankind come into your history?

 

P.c. Mankind comes into our history about 20,000 years ago, at the time they

discovered the uses of alcoholic fermentation…

 

Read the full essay here: http://www.alaskawriters.com/dianestory.html