Page 170 - The Microworld Miracle

trunks or branches where they settle. The great majority of these are
opportunists waiting to devour a tree when it is stressed or its limbs
begin dying. There also fungi those wait underground, awaiting
their opportunity. The canopy fungi wait patiently for a tree's
branch to rot and fall to the ground.

Some fungi begin their activities while the tree is still alive.
Trees are generally faced with some 15 fungus species that cause
disease, but are not serious enough to kill the tree. They tend to
cause diseases that are visible to the eye but that then pass away,
rather like colds in humans. Some of these may, have permanent ef-

fects, however. For example, the diseases spread by these fungi may
prevent the tree species growing a region from reproducing and
thus restrict the area they grow in. 94
Fungi may sometimes cause problems in the formation of fruit

THE MICROWORLD MIRACLE A fungus settling on

a moist pine needle
spouts and depos-
its a microbe tube
from its pores.
Shortly afterwards

dies and becomes
food for the fungus.
168 the entire branch