Creek relief

Dew on Common Reed

Was reflecting on the connections between water, plants, rain and fungi this morning as I walked down my local creek the Merri.

Many of the plants particularly the grasses and reeds (phragmites) were glistening with water droplets. This weeks rain, translated as dew in the cooler creek line. The creeks water level was dropping and becoming clearer as it does as the surrounding land dries out.

In the creek line the dense vegetation itself is a reservoir of moisture, out of the drying wind of the western grasslands. This moisture waters the plants and other species, and the creek itself. The creek is a welcome cooler retreat on summer hot & dry days, when the deepest shade is sort.

These last wet weeks I have been observing and recording the summer fruiting (see Urban suspects) of many mushrooms , puffballs and slime moulds many of the common ‘urban fungi’ including Yellow Fieldcap (Bolbitius titubans), Pleated Inkcap (Parasola plicatilis), Fairy Ring Marasmius (Marasmius oreades) and Genera Agrocybe and Agaricus, plus a puffball which seems to fruit around here in spring Giant Pasture Puffball (Mycenastrum corium). For the first time in urban habitat of our garden bed I also saw slime mould Wolf’s Milk (Lycogala epidendrum).

Moss bank drying out on basalt soils

Redshank (Ceratodon purpureus) drying off with typical red sporocarps.

The moss bank was already drying in the morning sun … with the mosses curling up tight to sit out the dry.

I have also been observing some of the Acacias at different stages but many flowering again ready to try for a second seed crop, some may have left it to late and might flower but don’t think they will have the water for seeds.

The forecast for this summer in Victoria is for and 80% chance of hotter and drier than “normal”. So this might be the last proper wet we see for a while and perhaps the last dew for the summer?

Will our species continue to adapt and reproduce when there is enough moisture?

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