Key concepts
- Hyphae extend at growing tips.
- Water uptake and wall expansion contribute to growth.
- Transport models require stated assumptions.
The lesson
Growing hyphae take up water and add cell-wall material at their tips. Internal pressure, wall properties and the movement of resources contribute to extension.
Researchers use transport models to study flow through fungal networks. A model helps test an explanation under defined conditions; its predictions need comparison with measurements before being applied to another species or environment.
Further reading
Heaton and colleagues: advection, diffusion and delivery over a network.
A moment to apply it
Put it into practice
Draw a hyphal tip and label water uptake, new wall material and a route for resource transport.
Keep in mind
A physical explanation should identify both the mechanism and the conditions under which it was studied.
Educational material. Check the linked reading and distinguish general principles from evidence about a particular specimen or field site. Lessons do not establish edibility or causal effects on livestock performance.