Question

Toadstools form fairy rings after a rain because

• A. The ring reflects a pH gradient which is highest in the center of the circle and diffuses outward. The size of the ring varies with the alkalinity at the center.
• B. The ring appears around the remnants of a tree stump that provide nutrients at the perimeter of the buried wood.
• C. The ring usually appears at the periphery of large buried boulders or other dense material.
• D. In actually, the appearance of a fairy ring is usually just the mind's attempt to make a pattern out of random placements of toadstools.
• E. The ring indicates the intersection of a colony of subsurface fungal hyphae expanding into a surrounding colony with a different mating type.

Answer 1

Answer: (E)

The ring indicates the intersection of a colony of subsurface fungal hyphae expanding into a surrounding colony with a different mating type.

A fairy ring or elf circle is a naturally occurring arc of mushrooms and grows to over 10 meters in diameter. These rings become stable over time as the fungus grows and seeks food underground. These are actually the result of mycelium or the vegetative body of a mushroom colony growing in the ground. With the decay of the underground organic matter, the mycelial strands begin to radiate outward. A sudden increase in moisture further helps the strands to reproduce and produce a mushroom. Thus, the correct answer is option E.