Fungi and their role in nature

In short: Fungi form a kingdom of their own alongside plants and animals. They decompose organic material, enter partnerships with plant roots and are known, among others, as edible mushrooms, yeasts and moulds.

In more detail: What we collect as a mushroom is only the fruiting body. The actual fungus is an underground network (mycelium).

In detail

• Decomposers: Break down deadwood and leaves and return nutrients (nahrungskette-und-oekosystem).
• Mycorrhiza: Fungi and trees exchange water, minerals and sugar (wald-aufbau-und-bedeutung).
• Yeast: Baking, brewing.
• Mould: Penicillin was obtained from a mould; mould in food and living spaces can be harmful (richtig-lueften-und-schimmel-vermeiden).
• Edible mushrooms: Button mushroom, porcini, chanterelle.
• Mushroom poisoning: The death cap is deadly poisonous; only eat safely identified mushrooms, ask a mushroom adviser in case of doubt.
• Emergency: If poisoning is suspected call the poison helpline or 112 immediately, keep mushroom remains (erste-hilfe-grundlagen).
• Collecting: Only for own use, observe protected areas.