Ep. 142: Mycorrhizal Markets & The Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (feat. Prof. Toby Kiers)
Nov 6, 2022
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Prof. Toby Kiers, an evolutionary biology professor, discusses the evolution of symbiotic trade and the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks. Topics include fungal networks, mutualism without altruism, biological market theory, and understanding the stock market through fungal market economies.
Understanding the evolution of trade strategies and resource allocation in plant-fungal networks.
The role of symbiosis in driving innovation and shaping biodiversity in fungal networks.
New technologies are being developed to visually quantify nutrient flows and study trade decisions in fungal networks.
Deep dives
The Medicinal Power of Mushrooms and Introduction to Alchemy Mushrooms
Mushrooms are known for their medicinal properties and Alchemy Mushrooms is a brand that aligns with the research on the medicinal properties of mushrooms. They grow their mushrooms organically in California, keeping the whole mushroom in their supplements and blending mycelium and fruit body to provide the best of both worlds.
Professor Toby Kears' Journey into Studying Fungal Networks and Symbiotic Trade
Professor Toby Kears, an evolutionary biologist, shares her journey into studying fungal networks and symbiotic trade. Starting as a young mushroom hunter, her interest in the hidden world of fungi led her to study fungal networks and symbiosis in tropical forests. She explores the intimate partnerships between plants and fungi, the evolution of trade strategies, and the role of symbiosis in driving innovation and shaping biodiversity.
Understanding Biological Markets and Resource Flows in Plant-Fungal Networks
Professor Toby Kears' research focuses on understanding biological markets and resource flows in plant-fungal networks. By studying the trade interactions between plant roots and mycorrhizal fungi, her lab explores how trade strategies evolve, discrimination between effective and less effective root systems, and the allocation of resources by fungi based on carbon availability. The research utilizes imaging technology to visualize nutrient flows and molecular motors to explain the bidirectional movement of nutrients in fungal networks. These insights can offer valuable lessons for understanding economies and trade dynamics in both natural and artificial systems.
Fungal Networks and Social Conditions
Fungal networks depend on the social conditions of the host. When connected to plants of the same genotype, they contribute to the fungal network. However, when connected to different plant species, less allocation is made to the network to avoid benefitting competitors. Understanding which organisms tap into the fungal network, available resources, and competitors is crucial.
Visualizing Fungal Strategies and Market Dynamics
New technologies are being developed to visually quantify nutrient flows in fungal networks. These tools enable the study of how fungi process information and make trade decisions. By visualizing and studying trade decisions in response to small manipulations, researchers aim to decode the language of fungi and understand their interactions with root systems and competitors.
Today on Mushroom Hour we have the privilege of being joined by Prof. Toby Kiers - Professor of Evolutionary Biology and University Research Chair at Vrije Fryy Universiteit Universitight Amsterdam. Her lab uses nanoprobes and high-resolution imaging to map the nutrient flows and architecture of plant-fungal networks. She is globally recognized for her scientific work in the evolution of symbiotic trade, and her public outreach activities, including a 2019 TED talk. Kiers won an Ammodo Award in 2019 for “unfettered science”, was awarded the E.O. Wilson Award for Natural History in 2021 and won an IMPACT award from the Dutch science foundation in 2021 for founding the non-profit SPUN - the Society for the Protection of Underground networks.
TOPICS COVERED:
Morel Memories & Research in Panama
Refining Definitions of Symbiosis and Mutualism
How Ecosystems are Shaped by Competitive and Symbiotic Dynamics
