Fungi Field Trip Post by John Yang

Crusty lichen

We saw this lichen during the field trip and it was really interesting to me. I like hiking and I often see that kinds of things during hiking but I couldn't know what it is and actually had no interest about that. After seeing that in real and heard about that lichens characteristics and few things about it, I become more thoughtful about trails and mountains. I think now I can hike in more interest than before. New things to see and observe during the hiking.

Witch-hair lichen

This is witch-hair lichen which we saw in the trail. I thought this is kind of moss before but it wasn't and now I knew it grows really slow and gradually. I thought this kind of things on the tree or plants were moss so they grow really fast after shower come or moisture day. In fact, it grows really slowly so it becomes little cotton ball size after 10 years it started to grow without getting hurt. So, it is reaaaally slow.

That is sick tree. It has some disease or something so, it will die soon. I thought those white things on the tree were just resin from body of the tree to protect itself from predators or other bad fungi but it wasn't. More interestingly, after that tree is die because of that unknown disease, that disease virus move to another tree and kill that, too. What a disaster.... It is sad but it is provision of nature.

I was really looking forward this field trip and it was fun. It was helpful to learn new things and see things in real. Honestly, I can't remember anything specifically except few terminologies but it was fun. I am happy enough to know hairy things on the tree is lichen. Learning from book is good but I think learning from real things which are around us really closely also help us to learn actively. It was good experience. I am really satisfied.