Forest mycology

[1] [2] [3]

What roles do fungi play in a forest?

There are some main roles:

1. Fungal pathogens — They infect live forest plants. [1]
2. Living inside live trees, not as pathogens:
   • Living inside plant roots.
   • Living inside plants generally.
     • As defense by the plant, from things that want to eat it.
   • TODO — Are any polypores non-mycorrhizal?
3. Decomposers — They help dead wood and other plant litter decay.
4. Controls insect populations by disabling or killing them.   [photos]

And there are some smaller roles:

• Mushrooms as food for humans — Mushrooms (fungal fruiting bodies) often grow in forests. [2]
• Fungi as food for plants and animals. [2]
• Lichen.

Ways to do amateur "field work" in the forest

• Try to notice any macrofungi. (which I think includes mushrooms, lichen, sporocarps, and higher fungi)
• Potentially learn how to do fungal cultures on agar plates. [2]