On 16th November at 7.30pm, we welcome back Runnymede survey volunteer Stefanie Smith who’ll dive into the weird and wonderful world of fungi. She’ll focus on local species, describing the habitats in which they occur, the plants they’re re associated with and will also provide a host of useful ID tips. With over 500 of the UK’s 1500 species found in Runnymede alone, there’s a lot to learn!
Fun facts about fungi include:
- They’re more closely related to animals than plants.
- They’re connected by an underground mycelium network provides a method of communication between plants (aka the ‘wood wide web’)
- They’re responsible for devastating events such as ash dieback, but also help maintain plant diversity by preventing a single species from dominating an ecosystem.
- They’re the basis for many products and medicines we use every day. For example Penicillin is derived from the fungus Penicillium rubens.
Large and small, beautiful or ugly idiosyncratic, fungi perform a vital role in both the decomposition of organic matter and nutrient recycling in ecosystems. So come along on November 16th and enjoy a fascinating and informative evening.
