INTERSPECIFIC INTERACTIONS AND MYCELIAL MORPHOGENESIS OF HYPHOLOMA FASCICULARE (AGARICACEAE)

Mycelial interactions between Hypholoma fasciculare and a range of oth er wood-inhabiting fungi were studied on a variety of malt agar-based media. The ability of H. fasciculare to invade other species was assoc iated with distinctive patterns of emergence of putatively non-assimil ative mycelium at the interaction interface. Similar patterns of emerg ence could be induced by a broad range of biotic and abiotic factors, notably the respiratory uncoupling agent, 2, 4-dinitrophenol, especial ly when these were distributed heterogeneously. Characteristic propert ies of non-linear dynamic systems, including complex oscillations in b ranch frequency, spatial correlation of structure across a replacement front and sensitivity to initial conditions, were evident in the emer gence patterns. The production of emergent phases was correlated with changes in the activity of phenol-oxidizing enzymes, and markedly affe cted by inhibitors of these enzymes. It is postulated that phenoloxida ses have an integral role in the control of morphogenesis at mycelial interfaces.