Some days ago I
attended a very interesting conference by Mrs Anne-Marie Rantet-Poux in the framework of the 2017 ASNAT programme. She explained us the life of an amazing organism:
the myxomycete or slime mold.
Their common name refers to part of some of these
organisms' life cycles where they can appear as gelatinous "slime",
the plasmodium. Many slime molds do
not spend most of their time in this state. As long as food is abundant, these
slime molds exist as single-celled organisms. When food is in short supply,
many of these single-celled organisms will congregate and start moving as a
single body. In this state they are sensitive to airborne chemicals and can detect
food sources.
In case of extreme weather conditions they can survive
a very long period moving into the sclerotium
form.
They can readily change the shape and function of parts
and may form stalks that produce fruiting bodies, many under the form of
colorful balloons, releasing countless spores.
They feed on microorganisms (bacteria, yeasts, and
fungi) that live in any type of dead plant material. Hence they contribute to
the decomposition of dead vegetation. For this reason, slime molds are usually
found in soil, lawns, and on the forest floor, commonly on deciduous logs.
Now just let’s find some when having a walk around!
