The soil shown was taken from a
crop circle of knocked down vegetation last week near Irrewillipe . Fungi hyphae haven't got much internal strength or purpose in hanging around ,so they take the quick and easy way generally, compared to say plant roots . As a result, while they almost fully cover the open cracks of the cracking clays( see the photo attached) their penetration inside clods is minimal.(dark is clay surface obtained by breaking up solid clods , white is fungi hyphae) Growing on derived carbohydrate and sugars from the roots of crops in autumn, before the seeds and soil fauna get a chance to grow, they can extend themselves over wide areas near the surface. Presumably its the fruiting and most active sections at the perimeter which seed spores each year and knock down the existing vegetation, creating the circles on the growth perimeter. Will keep you posted. We are still going to check one evening to see if shy aliens are upon us . Non photosynthethic bacteria can take the same opportunity "to feed "at the end of the season - more on that subject in the spring.
