Abstract
SUMMARY: Wood blocks colonized by the basidiomycetes Hypholoma fasciculare and Phanerochaete velutina were placed in plastic trays containing moist unsterilized soil. Both fungi grew out radially from the inoculum blocks in the form of networks of mycelial cords. When a second, uncolonized wood block, or set of wood blocks, was provided as a ‘bait’ about 5 cm from the inoculum block, marked changes in the form and growth characteristics of the mycelial network followed contact with the bait. These changes were influenced by the relative size of inoculum and bait and included inhibition of radial extension from the inoculum; stimulation of development of connective mycelium; directed growth responses to the bait; fan-shaped outgrowth with conserved polarity from the bait; eventual regression of non-connective mycelium originating from the inoculum. These effects presumably reflect the capacity of the mycelium to behave as a co-ordinated unit and to economize on biomass when growing between discontinuously supplied resource units.
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