All about fungi

Our great forests of Tāne-mahuta hold a treasure trove of life that is mostly found only in Aotearoa. Fungi are among Tāne’s descendants, along with plants and animals. Certain kinds of fungi ...

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ACTIVITY

Growing fungi on bread

In this activity, students design a simple investigation to explore the conditions that encourage fungal growth. By the end of this activity, students should be able to: design a simple ...

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ARTICLE

Honeydew ecosystem

The southern beech forests of New Zealand are home to a unique resource – honeydew – delicious to birds, fungi and insects. This sweet sticky substance forms the basis of an important ecosystem ...

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VIDEO

What are viruses?

Dr Wendy Williamson of ESR’s water management team explains that viruses are extremely small infectious particles that need to infect cells in order to replicate themselves. Viruses infect every ...

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ARTICLE

Vegetable caterpillar

Imagine a creature that turns moths into mummies by trapping them in an underground grave before emerging out of their neck to begin the cycle again. Not only does this creature exist, it’s part ...

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ARTICLE

Ngā Hekaheka o Aotearoa – kuputaka

Nō Ngā Hekaheka o Aotearoa te kuputaka nei. Kua noho mai ki konei hei hoa mō ngā kōrero o taua pukapuka kua morimoria e te Pokapū Akoranga Pūtaiao hei whakaputa i ēnei rauemi hou. Te reo Māori ...

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INTERACTIVE

Mātauranga Māori: Fungi as food and medicine

An interactive that shows how early Māori used different fungi for food and medicine.

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ARTICLE

Antibacterial mushrooms

In an age where we are becoming increasingly concerned about bacterial evolution and the effectiveness of antibiotics, there is an on-going need for novel antimicrobial compounds to outwit ...

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VIDEO

Fungi in the lab

How do you grow fungi in the lab? How do you make sure that you don’t grow all sorts of fungi when you wanted to only study one. Dr Peter Buchanan talks us through this important scientific ...

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ACTIVITY

Exploring microorganisms

In this activity, students research and summarise the key features of bacteria, viruses and fungi. By the end of this activity, students should be able to: draw basic microorganisms describe the ...

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ARTICLE

Making a case for the 5th kingdom

Are fungi plants? Are they animals? How do you decide? Since the 1700s when it was first used, the classification system for organisms has been under debate. As new species have been discovered ...

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INTERACTIVE

Mātauranga Māori: Te hekaheka hei kai, hei rongoā anō ...

He mahi pāhekoheko e whakaata ana i te whakamahi a ngāi Māori o nehe i te hekaheka hei kai, hei rongoā anō.

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VIDEO

Fungal kingdom

Dr Peter Buchanan, of Landcare Research NZ Ltd, introduces the wonderful world of fungi. There are more fungal species than there are plant species, and they have a range of roles, both positive ...

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ARTICLE

Conserving New Zealand’s fungi

We may be aware of the conservation problems facing kiwi, tuatara, hoiho (yellow-eyed penguin), kākāpo and black robin, but what do we know about the unique challenges faced by New Zealand fungi ...

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ARTICLE

Tēnei mea te hekaheka

He puna koiora puiaki te wao nui a Tāne. Waihoki, ko Aotearoa anake te kāinga e tupu māori ai te nuinga o ōna hanga ora. Ko ngā hekaheka tētahi o ngā aitanga a Tāne. Ko ngā tipu (arā, ngā rākau ...

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ARTICLE

Dr Peter Buchanan

Position: Science Team Leader, Biosystematics, Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research. Field: Biodiversity, conservation and ecology of New Zealand fungi. Dr Peter Buchanan is a scientist with a ...

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ARTICLE

Fungi – the good, the bad and the ugly

Fungi, plants, and animals live together in Tāne-mahuta, and all have important roles to play. Fungi live with plant roots, helping the plant to get minerals and water from the soil. Fungi like ...

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ARTICLE

Māori knowledge and use of fungi

Our ancestors had extensive knowledge of fungi and multiple uses for a number of them. The uses include for kai and rongoā, tā moko and as a tinder to start fires. Fungi for tattooing Our ...

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ACTIVITY

Te mahi tānga pua atua harore

I konei ka oti i ngā ākonga he tānga o ngā pua atua o te harore. He mōkitokito ngā pua atua – e kore e kitea noatia e te karu. Engari kia mahia he tānga pua atua, ka āhua kite tonu ngā ākonga ...

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VIDEO

Scale insects

Researcher Rosa Henderson from Landcare Research NZ Ltd introduces the tiny scale insects and talks about their role in the ecosystem.

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ARTICLE

New Zealand’s unique ecosystems – introduction

This article curates Hub resources regarding some of New Zealand's unique native insects and fungi - and the ecosystems that support them. Find out how our hidden taonga are conserved. The ...

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ARTICLE

Ngā mātauranga me te whakamahi a te Māori i ngā hekaheka ...

He whānui te mōhio o ngā tūpuna ki ngā hekaheka me ngā tini painga o ētahi. Ko ētahi he kai, ko ētahi he rongoā, ko ētahi hei tā moko, ko ētahi hei tahu ahi. Te hekaheka ka whakamahia mō te tā ...

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ARTICLE

Ngāi hekaheka – pai mai, kino mai, anuanu mai

Noho tahi ai ngā hekaheka, ngā tipu me ngā hanga oreore ki te poho o Tāne-mahuta. Ka mutu, he mahi nui anō ka kawea e tēnā, e tēnā. He piri tahi te hekaheka ki ngā pakiaka o ngā rākau. He āwhina ...

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ARTICLE

Fungal life cycles – spores and more

Fungi are eukaryotic organisms and include yeasts, moulds and mushrooms. Some fungi are multicellular, while others, such as yeasts, are unicellular. Most fungi are microscopic, but many produce ...

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