Adriana Morrell
Scientific Lead, Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Business, Arts and Sciences, Lethbridge Polytechnic, Alberta, Canada
Dale Pulvermacher
Research Assistant / Student Technician, Mycology Research Laboratory, Centre for Business, Arts and Sciences, Lethbridge Polytechnic, Alberta, Canada
Fungi are more than just a tasty addition to any meal; they are an integral part of the biosphere. Neither plant nor animal, evidence suggests fungi evolved long before either, some 950 million years ago.1 In partnership with algae, fungi were early ecosystem engineers, recycling nutrients, cycling carbon, and breaking down rock to form the first soils, laying the foundation for plants and animals to colonize what had once been barren land.2 They continue to play this role today, while also providing services central to modern society and human well-being.
