How do mushroom feed?

Mushrooms don't have mouths or stomachs like animals, so they don't eat food in the traditional sense. Instead, they feed through a process called absorption. Here's how it works:

1. Mycelium: Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of a much larger organism called a mycelium. Mycelium is a network of thread-like structures called hyphae that spread through the soil, wood, or other substrates.

2. Digestion: The hyphae release enzymes that break down complex organic matter (like dead leaves, wood, or even animal waste) into simpler substances. This process is called extracellular digestion, as the digestion happens outside the fungal body.

3. Absorption: The digested nutrients are then absorbed directly into the hyphae and transported throughout the mycelium.

What do mushrooms eat?

Mushrooms are decomposers, which means they break down dead organic matter. Different mushrooms have different dietary preferences:

* Saprophytes: These mushrooms feed on dead plant material like leaves, wood, and other debris.

* Mycorrhizal fungi: These mushrooms have a symbiotic relationship with plants. They help plants absorb nutrients and water from the soil in exchange for sugars produced by the plant through photosynthesis.

* Parasitic fungi: These mushrooms feed on living organisms, often causing disease.

In summary: Mushrooms don't eat in the way we understand it. They obtain nutrients through a process called absorption, where they break down organic matter using enzymes and then absorb the digested nutrients into their hyphae.