There are few things in life more peaceful and enjoyable than walking through the woods. This is also a very interesting activity because you never know what you are going to see.

If you have ever been out in the woods, you may have gotten lucky enough to see a ring of mushrooms growing in a circle. If so, you undoubtedly wondered why the mushrooms would grow in this way, especially if the circle was quite large.

The explanation for this growth pattern, which is commonly called a fairy ring, is that while mushrooms are the part of the fungi that people typically see, they are only a small part of the overall organism.

Most of the fungi actually live underground, growing and developing threads that are called hyphae, which make up the mycelia of the fungi. When the fungi are ready to reproduce, that is when the mushrooms grow up above ground, allowing their spores to be distributed throughout the area.

The fungi underground need to spread out until it come into contact with other mycelia so that they can reproduce. When they come in contact, they will form what is known as a dikaryotic mycelium. This combination can trigger the growth of mushrooms and reproduction.

So, why then do they grow out in circles? There are likely multiple reasons. To start with, expanding outward in all directions can help to optimize the chances of running into another mycelium of the same species, allowing reproduction.

Some experts also say that the ring shape helps the mycelium to survive better when there are pathogens in the ground where they are living.

Whatever the case, it should be noted that these ‘fairy rings’ only form when the soil in which the fungus is growing is made up of a very similar composition throughout. This can be a limiting factor in the size of fairy rings since the bigger the area the cover, the more diverse the soil will become.

Plus, as the organism gets bigger, it breaks down organic matter in the soil, changing its composition. Depending on what types of material is in the soil, its composition may shift over time after the fungus breaks it down.

Fairy rings are essential for breaking down materials and creating healthy soil for plants to grow in, so if you happen to see one, know that you are watching the ground becoming rejuvenated for the next generations of the forest you are in.

Mushrooms are fascinating.

If you thought that was interesting, you might like to read about why we should be worried about the leak in the bottom of the ocean.