It is easy to think that a falling leaf usually has to hit the ground before fungi go to work turning it into the soil. All of our conceptions about fungi seem to be, quite literally, grounded. We tend to forget that fungi are everywhere. Their spores travel like smoke in the slightest breeze and carry them throughout the globe. In moist tropical jungles around the world, some fungi don't wait for plant debris to hit the ground before they go to work on it. There are species of fungi out there waiting in the canopy for their next meal. What's more, they form a vast net-like community to do so.

As far as we know, these arboreal fungi all belong to the genus Marasmius. Though they are hard to see, anyone hiking through a tropical jungle has likely encountered some of these. These nondescript little mushrooms send out a network of mycelia called a "rhizomorph net." The threads are quite sticky so leaves and small branches easily get caught in them. The fungi don't waste any time making quick work of these aerial meals. In some instances, these arboreal fungi can capture so much detritus that very little makes it to the forest floor.

This has some major ramifications throughout the entire ecosystem. Tiny critters flock to these suspended soil factories. Their energy rich contents and more than suitable microclimates offer a haven for a whole community of insect life. Experiments have shown that these fungi are responsible for upwards of 70% of the insect diversity in a given hectare of tropical forests. These are some impressive stats when you consider the sheer numbers of insects in the tropics. Despite their importance, these arboreal fungal nets have gone largely unnoticed. Entire communities rely on these fungi yet we know very little about them.

Photo Credit: Bernard DUPONT (http://bit.ly/1Ie2pun)

Further Reading:
http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/8/3/397