Biomaterials
This note is about issues with biomaterials including use, engineering, sustainability, and ethics.
General issues:
- 'Biosecurity by design' as an issue in the future 'bioeconomy' (including designed organisms, etc.)
Mycelium
Cf.
- mycelial structures, mycelial textiles
- myco-construction
Currently, most of literature on mycelium as a biomaterial is anthropocentric and assesses the usefulness of mycelium for human needs rather than its long-term role in the ecosystems.
Suppliers of fungi:
- Rootlab, Australian supplier
Species used to produce mycelium:
Saprotrophic fungi (that feed on dead or decaying organic matter):
- European Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
- Native Australian Reishi (Ganoderma steyaertanum)
- Winter White Oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus var. populinus)
- Grey Oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus)
Mycelium growth media:
Benefits
- Biodegradability (but what happens with introduced living mycelium?)
- Antibacterial properties (but what happens with native microorganismic ecosystems?)
- Fire resistance
- Lightweight construction
Risks and Concerns
What are the good concepts and search terms? Most of the literature focuses on the protection of human health or agricultural animals and crops.
Biohazard Issues
- Human/animal health
- Plant health
Biosecurity and Biosafety Issues and Guidelines
- Potential introduction as invasive species
- Potential introduction of pathogens or diseases
- What is the best way to consider concerns? By species or in some other way?
- What is the extent of knowledge and typical/reasonable precautions?
- What are the known cases of use and practices?
- Sensitive regions and ecosystems, guidelines for usage depending on the sites differentiated by:
- Human use: urban, peri-urban, parkland, agricultural, plantation, old-growth forest, etc.
- Ecosystem type: bushland, wetland, riparian, coastal, alpine, desert, arid, tropical, subtropical, temperate, boreal, polar
- Instructions and concerns by species
- Actual or potential alternatives that are native
Invasive fungal species in Australia:
- Invasive ‘weedy’ fungi | Fungimap, includes a list of species and prevention measures.
- Australian Government Deptartment of the Environment guidelines
- The National Priority List of Exotic Environmental Pests, Weeds and Diseases, Australian Department of Agriculture, does not seem to include fungi at the moment?
Methods to Test Mycelium
- leave living and heat-treated mycelial objects in a variety conditions to decompose, test the speed of decomposition based on the site and conditions, test the soil for living fungi, test for eDNA.
- visit and test the condition of mycelial structures at sites of installation after a certain period of time. Check if there is a spread or local impact on the ecosystem.
Fungal References
Case, Nicola T., Sarah J. Gurr, Matthew C. Fisher, David S. Blehert, Charles Boone, Arturo Casadevall, Anuradha Chowdhary, et al. “Fungal Impacts on Earth’s Ecosystems.” Nature 638, no. 8049 (2025): 49–57. https://doi.org/10/g9bvs9.
Schmidt, Bertram, Carsten Freidank-Pohl, Justus Zillessen, Lisa Stelzer, Tamara Núñez Guitar, Carsten Lühr, Henri Müller, et al. “Mechanical, Physical and Thermal Properties of Composite Materials Produced with the Basidiomycete Fomes fomentarius.” Fungal Biology and Biotechnology 10, no. 1 (2023): 22. https://doi.org/10/g9bvtb.
References
Brandhof, Jeroen G. van den, and Han A. B. Wösten. “Risk Assessment of Fungal Materials.” Fungal Biology and Biotechnology 9, no. 3 (2022): 1–20. https://doi.org/10/kx3z.
Lofgren, Lotus A., and Jason E. Stajich. “Fungal Biodiversity and Conservation Mycology in Light of New Technology, Big Data, and Changing Attitudes.” Current Biology 31, no. 19 (2021): R1312–25. https://doi.org/10/gpfxvz.
Wainhouse, Matt, and Lynne Boddy. “Making Hollow Trees: Inoculating Living Trees with Wood–Decay Fungi for the Conservation of Threatened Taxa—A Guide for Conservationists.” Global Ecology and Conservation 33 (2022): e01967. https://doi.org/10/gs485k.
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