Day 2 trying to find fungi - Jun 9, 2023

Today I decided to try again, and I proceeded to El Parque Recreativo Omar, one of the oldest and largest public parks in Panama, for this attempt. Even though it has activities for children, it is covered in verdant spaces and ancient, towering trees. I anticipated discovering fungi due to the magnitude of this park. We walked for approximately 45 minutes and were able to identify four distinct species. When I asked people who work there caring for the environment, they explained that it has something to do with our seasons. There are essentially only two seasons in this region: the rainy season (May to November) and the dry season (December to April). However, they have a significant impact on the country as a whole, in the sense that, during the arid season, desertification is evident and access to water is severely restricted. In contrast, the rainy season has just begun, which means thunderstorms. For example, we had an electrical  storm last night. Because the seasons are changing and we are just beginning to recover from the drought, and because fungi flourish in humid and moist environments, this could explain why there are fewer of them. I felt compelled to mention this because I found it intriguing. Regarding our class material, I was able to locate these fungi in the roots of ancient, leafy trees. I am pleased to report that I was able to locate some, despite the fact that it was by no means a simple task. Today was extremely damp, and my companion and I got completely soaked searching for these fungi. Additionally, there was a great deal of humidity, but the sky cleared around 4:30 pm as usual. See you next time !

Publicado el 09 de junio de 2023 por marilolivaldes