Why do Fungi Produce Toxins?

[Mycos]

On 6 Sep 2002 09:54:25 +0100, jorge1907 at aol.comcomm (Jorge1907) wrote:

>I'm sure there is speculation.  Maybe in some of the primary literature.
>
>Maybe they're not toxins as such to the fungus but serve some other function.  
>There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
>Than are dreamt of in your philosophy

Something that I've always wondered is what possible evolutionary
advantage could there be for Coprinus species to have evolved
deliquescence (sp?). I'm sure the gill feature developed first as that
seems to be a more complicated, higher function. We also see it in the
gastroid agarics as the once favoured method. In the gastroids, it
seems clear that this is an adaption to harsh weather conditions. But
why abandon the process that seems to work for all the other agarics
in favour of a method of spore dispersal that  seems to me at least,
to be regressive? In fact, I'm not clear how spore dispersal under
this method is achieved at all, nevertheless being preferential.

Any idea's on that one?

G. Williams

Mycology is better than Urology