Rock-dwelling fungus shifts strategy when nutrients run low
Dehkohneh A, Schumacher J, Cockx BJR, Keil K, Camenzind T
Climate Adaptation
The dark crusty growth you might spot on old stone walls, garden statuary, or even solar panels isn't random grime, it's a living fungus that's actively adjusting its growth pattern to scavenge scarce nutrients from bare surfaces.
There's a tough black fungus called Knufia petricola that survives in some of the harshest spots on Earth, like bare desert rock and marble monuments, where almost no food is available. Researchers found that when this fungus runs low on carbon or nitrogen, it stops building thick surface colonies and instead sends thin threads deeper into the material it's growing on, essentially digging for resources instead of spreading out. It's the same kind of survival trick many fast-growing fungi use, which suggests this scrappy rock-dweller follows the same basic rules as fungi we're more familiar with.
Key Findings
Carbon and nitrogen concentrations were the primary drivers of fungal growth, with a broad optimum tied to an ideal carbon-to-nitrogen ratio
Limiting carbon or nitrogen reduced biomass, spore production, and biofilm thickness, but increased filamentous growth that penetrates substrates
Melanin production (the fungus's protective dark pigment) correlated with higher nitrogen content in the biomass, even though the melanin itself contains no nitrogen
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists found that a hardy black fungus living on bare rock changes its growth strategy based on available carbon and nitrogen, growing thicker biofilms when food is plentiful and sending thin threads deeper into surfaces when it's scarce. This helps explain how these tough organisms survive on nutrient-poor places like desert rocks, solar panels, and marble statues.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Carbon and nitrogen availability affects biofilm growth and morphology of the extremotolerant fungus Knufia petricola.
Rock-inhabiting fungi thrive in subaerial oligotrophic environments, such as desert rocks, solar panels, and marble monuments, where organic carbon and nitrogen are scarce. We tested whether the ro...
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