Mushroom Microscopy & Mycoremediation

In this STEM experiment class the students got a crash course in mushroom microscopy.

First, we conducted a mushroom survey on the school campus and were excited to find Bloody Polypore (Fabisporus sanguineus) growing on Trex®, a composite lumber material which is made of plastic and sawdust! This is a mushroom species that mycoremediators are starting to partner with due to its tolerance for industrial-made substrates which include plastics!

 

Bloody Polypore growing on a composite lumber made of plastic and sawdust! Image by Chase.

While it's an exciting potential prospect for mycoremediation, further testing is needed to determine if Bloody Polypore is degrading the plastics as well as the sawdust in this composite lumber.

 

Bloody Polypores. Image by Chase.

Bloody Polypore is also a sun-loving mushroom and is often seen thriving in full, direct sunlight. This feature is also promising for post-fire mycoremediation sites where a lot of the shade cover - such as leafy tree canopies and built structures - in a burn scar have been lost due to extreme fire events. Therefore, shade-loving mushrooms are likely less effective for such mycoremediation applications. On the other hand, Bloody Polypore would more likely be well-suited for such an extreme, sunlight-exposed, post-fire environment.

 

Students assembling their new personal microscopes. Image by Anne Colletta.

The crowd-sourced grant funding provided microscopes for each student which they assembled and used in this class.

 

Student Thane Burkert carefully flipping over a mushroom cap onto a microscope slide to create a spore print for microscopic inspection. Image by Anne Colletta.

The student-scientists then learned how to create mushroom spore prints and prepare mushroom tissue for microscopy.

 

Student Naia Lickle preparing a mushroom for microscopic analysis. Image by Chase.

 

Students using their new personal microscopes. Image by Anne Colletta.

They then used their microscopes to have a closer look at fungi.

 

Students Maya Sucher and Owen Shurtleff using their lab microscopes to take a closer look at fungi. Image by Chase.

Finally, students checked on the progress of the spawn run in their myco-filter socks.

 

Students Athena Areus and Owen Shrutleff checking on their myco-filter socks. Image by Chase.

SURPRISE! Some of the myco-filter socks were fruiting mushrooms only a couple of weeks after inoculation!

In the next part of this STEM experiment, student-scientists will test the efficacy of their myco-filter socks to filter water. Stay tuned!