Biofluorescent Fungi Illuminating the Night
Unveiling the Hidden Glow: Exploring Fluorescence in Fungi
Imagine stepping into the heart of a forest in Norfolk, surrounded by the lush greenery and the symphony of nature’s sounds. Now, add a touch of magic to this experience – the mysterious phenomenon of fluorescence. Imagine looking down as your path is lit up by bright blue, yellow and green mushrooms! As we roll into Autumn and the mushroom season is about to begin it seems like the perfect time for an exploration of Biofluorescence in fungi.
Biofluorescence vs Bioluminescence
There are two types of natural phenomena that make mushrooms glow – Biofluorescence and Bioluminescence.
Bioluminescent mushrooms are able to generate their own light. Biofluorescent mushrooms reemit light in a different colour than the one they absorbed. It is usually a response to Ultraviolet (UV) light.
There are only one or two species of Bioluminescent mushrooms in the U.K. But as we have been finding out on our night walks many species of Biofluorescent mushrooms.
In fungi, the property of fluorescence has been known since 1925, initially for medical detection purposes. This fluorescence has also been used for taxonomic differentiation in various species.
Who can see fluorescence?
Armed with a special UV torch, we head out into the forests of Norfolk, on a mission to discover the hidden treasures of biofluorescent fungi. In most of our woodlands on a wet Autumn night you can find a number of different biofluorescent mushrooms that come in an array of colours.
While humans are generally unable to perceive natural fluorescence during daylight due to the overpowering ambient visible light, some animals possess the remarkable ability to see certain forms of fluorescence. This vision gives them a completely different view of the world, and allows them to see patterns and images invisible to humans. Many types of insects, invertebrates, birds, fish, and mammals such as rodents and bats have evolved unique vision, enabling them to navigate their environments in a way that is imperceptible to humans.
Fluorescent Fungi - The Science
What do we know so far about biofluorescence in mushrooms? Very little but there has been some research done over the years into some of the compounds responsible.
For several decades, the presence of fluorescence has been used by some authors as a taxonomic character for Cortinarius species in Europe and South America.In New Zealand, fluorescence has also been utilised to distinguish between various Cortinarius species.
The glycoside leprocybin is what causes the yellow fluorescence in Cortinarius. The same substances that give C. infractus its bitter taste also cause its vivid blue fluorescence. These substances are derivatives of -carboline, which is the main chemical responsible for the scorpions’ bright blue fluorescence.
In the mushrooms of numerous other Cortinarius species as well as C. fluorescens in Europe and the Americas, the nephrotoxin orellanine contributes to secondary fluorescence.
Many species of Russula mushrooms display fluorescence, separating them from Lactarius, which rarely display biofluorescence.
The russupteridines, a class of water-soluble pteridines (lumazines) found in Russula spp., enable fluorescence. Two of the more commonly found pteridines in Russula spp. are pro-lumazine which emits a bright violet-blue fluorescence, and russupteridine-yellow which emits a strong yellow fluorescence.
Why do mushrooms glow?
Bioluminscence in mushrooms has been studied a lot more than biofluorescence. We can look at the research on bioluminescence to get some ideas as to why mushrooms would glow under UV light.
What makes bioluminscent mushrooms glow? The answer is Oxyluciferin, and up until recently, it remained unknown. Although bioluminescent mushrooms have long been researched by experts, it wasn’t until 2015 that they discovered the reason for the fungi’s glow: the mushrooms use luciferins, light-emitting substances also present in other glowing creatures and plants, to entice insects. After that, the bugs aid in dispersing their spores to protected areas in the forest, which aids the mushroom species in surviving.
Because bioluminescence requires so much energy, the mushrooms only shine at night. They don’t shine strongly enough to be more apparent throughout the day. The fact that spores prefer to become active and proliferate at night, when the air is more humid, is an added benefit.
It is very possible that biofluorescent mushrooms glow for a similar reason – To help with spore dispersal.
It is also completely possible that fluorescence in mushrooms serves no purpose. It could just be a by-product of chemistry that just happens to be there.
Much more research is needed to find out all the hidden wonders of biofluorescent mushrooms. It may be that there isn’t actually any purpose to the biofluorescence we can see. Whatever the reason why it is such a beautiful and colourful site to behold, I am sure we can all enjoy the magic of seeing the forest floor light up with multi coloured mushrooms!
Click here to view our upcoming Biofluorescent night walks and secure your spot. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to experience the magic of biofluorescence firsthand!