The Importance of Fungi During The Autumn Season
The autumn season is the time of year when many species of fungi begin to grow. Mushrooms and other species of fungi have many uses and benefits for humans, dogs, as well as the environment. Many individuals don't like to see mushrooms in their yard, but fungi, specifically mushrooms, are essential for the health of their ecosystem and are actually utilized by the Wild Earth team!
In this article we will talk about the important role that fungi play for Wild Earth but also for the environment and ecosystem as a whole.
How Wild Earth Utilizes Koji Fungi
The scientific development team at Wild Earth has spent the past few years developing the world's first dog treat that utilizes high quality, human grade, Koji Fungi, which is known as an ancient fungi superfood. Koji, also known as aspergillus oryzae, has been used by civilizations for thousands of years in East Asia as well as other parts of the world.
Koji may sound like something you have never heard of before, but it is actually prevalent in many traditional foods such as soy sauce, miso soup, sake, and some types of fermented beans. Koji is primarily used for its ability to enhance the flavor of dishes such as rice, potatoes, or soup, but Koji is also popular for its health benefits as well as for being an environmentally friendly source of protein.
Koji is considered to be high in protein, low in calories, and contains all 10 essential amino acids that dogs require to stay healthy. Koji is also much more humane and gentle on the environment because it provides high quality protein to the consumer without having to slaughter chicken, cows, or other animals in the process.
Learn more about Koji and the benefits it may have for your dog.
The Benefits Fungi Provides To The Ecosystem
There are a number of different types of fungi that provide important benefits to the ecosystem and the surrounding organisms. Fungi have a number of important roles in the biosphere. They are essential for recycling nutrients in all terrestrial ecosystems since they are the primary decomposers of complex plant debris, such as cellulose and lignin.
Fungi play a significant role in the release of important and biologically essential elements such as nitrogen and phosphorus from decaying organic matter. Without the decomposing power of fungi, a lot of the nutrients would remain stuck in dead organic matter, and this could have very negative implications for other organisms.
Fungi and mushrooms also provide beneficial nutrients to many different animals as they are commonly consumed by animals such as insects, slugs, snails, rodents and even larger mammals like deer who are fond of the flavor.
Fungi plays a role as one of the most important decomposers of organic matter in the natural world. Without it, plants, animals, and nearly all organisms would struggle to grow because of the low amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and other elements readily available because they get tied up in dead organic matter. Fortunately, decomposers such as fungi help to release these trapped elements to the surrounding biosphere.
Mushrooms and fungi play an essential role in maintaining and growing the ecosystem all around us!
Common Mushrooms & Fungi You Might See During The Fall Season
There are many different types of fungi or mushrooms that become more prevalent during the autumn months. As the days get shorter, fungi become more active. Some of these include: chanterelles, fly agaric mushrooms, hedgehogs, and boletus to name a few. The type of fungi you can observe this season will depend on the exact time of the year as well as on where you live.
There are also many other types including truffles that can be found during this time as well. Mushrooms such as porcini or penny bun are incredibly common throughout North America and continental Europe.
Below are a few of the most common types of fungi found in North America:
Many individuals around the world enjoy picking these mushrooms and putting them in soup for their nutritional benefits. Most of these mushrooms are edible but some can be poisonous, so it is important to not consume wild mushrooms without the proper understanding or supervision necessary.
Fungi is often misunderstood and considered to be gross, or toxic, but that isn't always the case. Fungi, such as mushrooms and yeast are a vital part of the natural world that should not be overlooked. They can provide great health benefits to humans as well as dogs, but they also help to improve and maintain the ecosystem.
