Underwater mushroom discovery

BenBurch · 24th January 2008, 05:00 PM

http://www.cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/uw-mushrm/

Tumblehome · 25th January 2008, 12:35 AM

That is very cool. I wonder if it's always been around and we just haven't seen it, or if it's a recent adaptation.

neutrino_cannon · 25th January 2008, 04:32 AM

Perhaps it's late and I need to go to bed because I'm confounding nutrient transport systems in plants and fungi, but wouldn't being underwater suffocate the mushroom?

Capsid · 25th January 2008, 06:47 AM

Originally Posted by neutrino_cannon

Perhaps it's late and I need to go to bed because I'm confounding nutrient transport systems in plants and fungi, but wouldn't being underwater suffocate the mushroom?

Water contains enough oxygen for fish to survive which are far more active than fungi, a fast flowing stream would be well aerated.

WildCat · 25th January 2008, 06:51 AM

Now, who's brave enough to find out what it tastes like?

Cainkane1 · 25th January 2008, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by BenBurch

http://www.cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/uw-mushrm/

Wonder how it would taste fried up with steak and onions?

ElMondoHummus · 25th January 2008, 07:13 AM

Originally Posted by WildCat

Now, who's brave enough to find out what it tastes like?

Probably the same folks who were brave enough to find out others were hallucinogenic.

steenkh · 25th January 2008, 07:44 AM

I suspect some kind of fraud here.

Dr Adequate · 25th January 2008, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by steenkh

I suspect some kind of fraud here.

It's on the website of Southern Oregon University, here.

Originally Posted by SOU

Discovered in 2005 by Robert Coffan, adjunct professor in the Environmental Studies Department, collaborative efforts of his colleagues in the Biology Department, Darlene Southworth and Jonathan Frank, verified its uniqueness. The research team has submitted a manuscript to a scientific journal called "Mycologia."

steenkh · 25th January 2008, 08:23 AM

Well, I know very little about fungi, so I guess it is possible. It just looks too much like a land mushroom put into an aquarium. Water plants do not look like land plants, and they have adaptations to handle the flow of water around them. This mushroom stands as tall and rigid as a land mushroom.

As it has been noted, aquatic mushrooms need a way to spread their spores upstream, or they will only spread downstream from the point where they grow. But then, on the other hand, I do not know how aquatic plants handle this - except for those that stick up above the water to spread the seeds, which this mushroom does not seem to do.

Tumblehome · 25th January 2008, 08:35 AM

Originally Posted by steenkh

I suspect some kind of fraud here.

Now you went and made me take a second look at it. Spoilsport.

The only thing in the picture to suggest it's underwater are the small bubbles, which could be dewdrops. And it's odd that it would be standing straight up in moving water.

However, the Southern Oregon U website has an announcement for a seminar--for this very afternoon--to learn about the discovery.
http://studentinfo.sou.edu/soucalend...Date=1/25/2008

If it's a hoax, the environmental studies faculty itself must be in on it, or at least is being duped by some mischief maker. For that reason, I'm still leaning towards its being genuine.

ETA: I see Dr. A beat me to it.

TShaitanaku · 25th January 2008, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by Cainkane1

Wonder how it would taste fried up with steak and onions?

nah, its probably a better trout and lemongrass, or salmon and dill, addition.

Capsid · 25th January 2008, 08:59 AM

I thought fraud initially too but then I read the University website and they go into a little detail about how the gills are adapted to distribute spores underwater. Many aquatic plants have a similar form to land based plants so perhaps it's not too surprising that the fruiting body looks like that of a field mushroom/toadstool.

BenBurch · 25th January 2008, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by TShaitanaku

nah, its probably a better trout and lemongrass, or salmon and dill, addition.

In the past we could only have found out if it was safe by having somebody eat it and seeing if their liver failed. But I think today we could actually screen for known mushroom poisons pretty easily. But a novel organism might have evolved some UNKNOWN poisons to help it adapt to its environment.

I won't be the first person to saute some of these.

TShaitanaku · 25th January 2008, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by BenBurch

In the past we could only have found out if it was safe by having somebody eat it and seeing if their liver failed. But I think today we could actually screen for known mushroom poisons pretty easily. But a novel organism might have evolved some UNKNOWN poisons to help it adapt to its environment.

I won't be the first person to saute some of these.

Oh, I might volunteer to do the cooking, but I'm not too sure about the tasting!

this charming man · 25th January 2008, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by neutrino_cannon

Perhaps it's late and I need to go to bed because I'm confounding nutrient transport systems in plants and fungi, but wouldn't being underwater suffocate the mushroom?

There are many types aquatic plants...

24th January 2008, 05:00 PM	#1
BenBurch Gatekeeper of The Left Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Universe 35.2 ms ahead of this one. Posts: 16,335	Underwater mushroom discovery http://www.cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/uw-mushrm/
	__________________ You are very model of a modern climate "truther" shill, You've information oceanic, atmospheric, and whimsical, You know the dates of freezups, and you deny the temps historical, From Svalbard to Point Barrow, deny them categorical, You're passingly acquainted, too, with matters mathematical, You misunderstand equations, both the simple and quadratical, About climatic integration You're teeming with a lot o' news, With many cheerful facts at odds with better-informed views.

25th January 2008, 04:32 AM	#3
neutrino_cannon Master Poster Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Seventh circle of limbo Posts: 2,543	Perhaps it's late and I need to go to bed because I'm confounding nutrient transport systems in plants and fungi, but wouldn't being underwater suffocate the mushroom?
	__________________ "Man would have been too happy, if, limiting himself to the visible objects which interested him, he had employed, to perfect his real sciences, his laws, his morals, his education, one half-the efforts he has put into his researches on the Divinity" -Percy Bysshe Shelley, The Necessity of Atheism

25th January 2008, 06:47 AM	#4
Capsid Graduate Poster Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 1,191	Originally Posted by neutrino_cannon Perhaps it's late and I need to go to bed because I'm confounding nutrient transport systems in plants and fungi, but wouldn't being underwater suffocate the mushroom? Water contains enough oxygen for fish to survive which are far more active than fungi, a fast flowing stream would be well aerated.
Capsid Graduate Poster Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 1,191

25th January 2008, 06:51 AM	#5
WildCat NWO Master Conspirator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Albany Park, Chicago Posts: 28,366	Now, who's brave enough to find out what it tastes like?
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25th January 2008, 07:10 AM	#6
Cainkane1 Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: The great American southeast Posts: 4,271	I wonder how it would taste? Originally Posted by BenBurch http://www.cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/uw-mushrm/ Wonder how it would taste fried up with steak and onions?
	__________________ If at first you don't succeed try try again. Then if you fail to succeed to Hell with that. Try something else.

25th January 2008, 12:35 AM	#2
Tumblehome Graduate Poster Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Beside the point Posts: 1,289	That is very cool. I wonder if it's always been around and we just haven't seen it, or if it's a recent adaptation.

25th January 2008, 07:13 AM	#7
ElMondoHummus 0.25 short of being half-witted Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Somewhere north of the South Pole Posts: 8,976	Originally Posted by WildCat Now, who's brave enough to find out what it tastes like? Probably the same folks who were brave enough to find out others were hallucinogenic.
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25th January 2008, 07:44 AM	#8
steenkh Master Poster Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Denmark Posts: 2,841	I suspect some kind of fraud here.
	__________________ Steen -- Jack of all trades - master of none!

25th January 2008, 07:53 AM	#9
Dr Adequate Banned Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Waiting Long Enough By The River Posts: 17,902	Originally Posted by steenkh I suspect some kind of fraud here. It's on the website of Southern Oregon University, here. Originally Posted by SOU Discovered in 2005 by Robert Coffan, adjunct professor in the Environmental Studies Department, collaborative efforts of his colleagues in the Biology Department, Darlene Southworth and Jonathan Frank, verified its uniqueness. The research team has submitted a manuscript to a scientific journal called "Mycologia."

25th January 2008, 08:23 AM	#10
steenkh Master Poster Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Denmark Posts: 2,841	Well, I know very little about fungi, so I guess it is possible. It just looks too much like a land mushroom put into an aquarium. Water plants do not look like land plants, and they have adaptations to handle the flow of water around them. This mushroom stands as tall and rigid as a land mushroom. As it has been noted, aquatic mushrooms need a way to spread their spores upstream, or they will only spread downstream from the point where they grow. But then, on the other hand, I do not know how aquatic plants handle this - except for those that stick up above the water to spread the seeds, which this mushroom does not seem to do.
	__________________ Steen -- Jack of all trades - master of none!

25th January 2008, 08:35 AM	#11
Tumblehome Graduate Poster Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Beside the point Posts: 1,289	Originally Posted by steenkh I suspect some kind of fraud here. Now you went and made me take a second look at it. Spoilsport. The only thing in the picture to suggest it's underwater are the small bubbles, which could be dewdrops. And it's odd that it would be standing straight up in moving water. However, the Southern Oregon U website has an announcement for a seminar--for this very afternoon--to learn about the discovery. http://studentinfo.sou.edu/soucalend...Date=1/25/2008 If it's a hoax, the environmental studies faculty itself must be in on it, or at least is being duped by some mischief maker. For that reason, I'm still leaning towards its being genuine. ETA: I see Dr. A beat me to it.
	Last edited by Tumblehome; 25th January 2008 at 08:37 AM.

25th January 2008, 08:54 AM	#12
TShaitanaku Graduate Poster Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,500	Originally Posted by Cainkane1 Wonder how it would taste fried up with steak and onions? nah, its probably a better trout and lemongrass, or salmon and dill, addition.

25th January 2008, 08:59 AM	#13
Capsid Graduate Poster Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 1,191	I thought fraud initially too but then I read the University website and they go into a little detail about how the gills are adapted to distribute spores underwater. Many aquatic plants have a similar form to land based plants so perhaps it's not too surprising that the fruiting body looks like that of a field mushroom/toadstool.
Capsid Graduate Poster Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 1,191

25th January 2008, 09:02 AM	#14
BenBurch Gatekeeper of The Left Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Universe 35.2 ms ahead of this one. Posts: 16,335	Originally Posted by TShaitanaku nah, its probably a better trout and lemongrass, or salmon and dill, addition. In the past we could only have found out if it was safe by having somebody eat it and seeing if their liver failed. But I think today we could actually screen for known mushroom poisons pretty easily. But a novel organism might have evolved some UNKNOWN poisons to help it adapt to its environment. I won't be the first person to saute some of these.
	__________________ You are very model of a modern climate "truther" shill, You've information oceanic, atmospheric, and whimsical, You know the dates of freezups, and you deny the temps historical, From Svalbard to Point Barrow, deny them categorical, You're passingly acquainted, too, with matters mathematical, You misunderstand equations, both the simple and quadratical, About climatic integration You're teeming with a lot o' news, With many cheerful facts at odds with better-informed views.

25th January 2008, 09:53 AM	#15
TShaitanaku Graduate Poster Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,500	Originally Posted by BenBurch In the past we could only have found out if it was safe by having somebody eat it and seeing if their liver failed. But I think today we could actually screen for known mushroom poisons pretty easily. But a novel organism might have evolved some UNKNOWN poisons to help it adapt to its environment. I won't be the first person to saute some of these. Oh, I might volunteer to do the cooking, but I'm not too sure about the tasting!

25th January 2008, 09:56 AM	#16
this charming man A jumped up pantry boy Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: On a hillside desolate Posts: 1,114	Originally Posted by neutrino_cannon Perhaps it's late and I need to go to bed because I'm confounding nutrient transport systems in plants and fungi, but wouldn't being underwater suffocate the mushroom? There are many types aquatic plants...
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