![]() Water also condenses on a spot on the adjacent spore surface. Buller’s drop is formed by the condensation of water on the spore surface that is stimulated by the secretion of mannitol and other hygroscopic sugars. This fluid is called Buller’s drop in tribute to “the Einstein of Mycology,” A. Basidiospores are discharged from the gill surfaces by a catapult mechanism powered by the rapid movement of a drop of fluid over the spore surface ( Fig 1). An individual gilled mushroom can release 30,000 basidiospores every second, corresponding to a daily output of billions of microscopic particles. Million of tons of fungal spores are dispersed in the atmosphere every year. Our research heightens interest in the global significance of the fungi and raises additional concerns about the sustainability of forests that depend on heavy precipitation. Through this mechanism, mushroom spores may promote rainfall in ecosystems that support large populations of ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic basidiomycetes. The kinetics of this process suggest that basidiospores are especially effective as nuclei for the formation of large water drops in clouds. Using environmental electron microscopy, we have demonstrated that droplets reform on spores in humid air. This fluid is carried with the spore during discharge, but evaporates once the spore is airborne. This droplet is formed by the condensation of water on the spore surface stimulated by the secretion of mannitol and other hygroscopic sugars. Mushroom spores are discharged from gills by the rapid displacement of a droplet of fluid on the cell surface. ![]() Basidiospores released by mushrooms form a significant proportion of these aerosols, particularly above tropical forests. These living cells, along with plant spores and pollen grains, may act as nuclei for condensation of water in clouds. Millions of tons of fungal spores are dispersed in the atmosphere every year.
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