A more or less circular ring of mushrooms appears in your yard, apparently overnight. The circle is several yards in diameter. The mushrooms appear to be producing spores. What is the most likely explanation for this circle of mushrooms?
A) One mushroom in the circle reproduced sexually to make all the other mushrooms in the circle.
B) The mushrooms are all part of the same organism, with mycelia radiating out from the location of a germinated spore.
C) The mushroom plants in the center of the circle were older and have already died or been eaten by herbivores.
D) Mushroom spores were dropped by a circling bird, thus explaining the circular shape of the group of mushrooms.
E) The circle represents the fungal life cycle.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The circle of mushrooms, often called a "fairy ring," is formed by the outward growth of a fungal organism's mycelium from a central point. As the fungus grows outward, it depletes nutrients in the center, leading to the characteristic ring shape where mushrooms (the fruiting bodies of the fungus) appear at the edges where nutrients are still available.

A More or Less Circular Ring of Mushrooms Appears in Your