Why Sequence Agaricus bisporus?
Agaricus bisporus is a soil-growing homobasidiomycete fungus that plays an ecologically significant role in the degradation of leaf and needle litter in temperate forests. Soils contain humic compounds derived from modified lignin and other recalcitrant aromatic compounds, and represent a different catabolic challenge from the intact woody tissues colonized by many other fungi. Thus, A. bisporus forms an important model for carbon sequestration studies to understand the persistence of mycelial material in humus and to determine the role of fungi in bioconversion of plant materials to humic acids. The homobasidiomycete species is arguably the most well studied member of the family Agaricaceae, a large, diverse and economically important group of fungi. Comprehending the carbon cycling role of the Agaricaceae in forests and other ecosystems is a prerequisite to modeling and optimizing carbon management. Agaricus bisporus, conifer forest soil, Moss Beach, CA. Photo courtesy R.W. Kerrigan.
