THE BLOB....a 1950's classic horror film depicting a gelatinous blob from outer space that consumes everything in its path could have been inspired by a real living blob-like substance. After heavy rainfall, in a forest near you, this alien-like creature will eat its way through the woodlands leaving nothing in its wake.
A few days ago I noticed a bright yellow growth near a dead ash tree in our yard. When I first spotted it, I thought it was dog vomit slime or something similar. After posting pictures to a Facebook page dedicated to slime molds, I had a positive ID in short order (Thank you Jan Thornbill)
Badhamia polycephala (formerly Physarum polycephalum), or Many-Headed Slime Mold is found throughout North America, South America, Europe and other places around the World. It is most common in the Eastern portion of NA.
It is unclear how long slime molds have been present on planet Earth, some scientists estimate 600 million years and others say as long as one to two billion years, either way a REALLY REALLY LONG TIME! Because of the nature of slime molds, there is very little fossil records that exist. However, they have had plenty of time to perfect their strategies and my guess is, very little has changed in their MO.
Like most slime molds they prefer habitats with moist, rich substrate and plenty of dead or decaying organic matter. Using special enzymes, called lytic enzymes they are able to break down the cellular structure of fungi, wood, and leaf litter, turning it into nutrient rich organic matter that benefits the soil, trees and plants growing in these ecosystems.
Human activity all too often creates challenges for organisms, many of which have a lasting impact on the survival of some species. In the case of this particular protist (an organism with a cell that is not an animal, plant or fungus), human disturbances have assisted in its continued spread. Logging creates an abundance of fresh decaying wood which provides the perfect conditions for growth and fruiting. After heavy rains these spores become active and are visible, in what is called the plasmodia stage. During the plasmodial stage, or feeding stage, the bright yellow slime will appear vein-like in its structure as it seemingly reaches for anything nutritious in its path.
With all the names associated with this oddity, like blob, plasmodia, shape-shifting, many-headed, to name but a few. All I could think of was a sequel to Ghostbusters or some equally creative sci-fi film featuring my office and an experiment gone woefully wrong.
There seems to be some indication that these protists are even capable of solving problems, without a brain I might add. In scientific studies it has been shown they will always choose the shortest distance to a food source, no matter the obstacles put in their path. Work smarter, not harder, seems to be their motto.
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| Oyster Mushroom--Before |
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| Oyster Mushroom--After |
Once the plasmodial stage has exhausted its food supply and the damp conditions begin to dry out, they will enter into the next stage of development, the reproductive stage. During this fruiting stage tiny spores will develop that appear to have two heads, which is where the common name many-headed comes from. These spores will be spread by wind or via insects, mites and earthworms.
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| Fruiting body--spores |
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| Fruiting body--spores |
Once carried to new locations, they sit dormant, waiting for the right rainy conditions, to mysteriously appear, and undulate their way through the forest consuming everything it their path.
Beware the Slime Mold!
