A fungus that fed on dead plants surprised scientists by changing its food preferences

The scientists’ findings indicate that Mycena is in fact the only representative of saprotrophs, whose DNA was present in the roots of 9 of the 10 trees they examined, and their roots were not damaged by the fungus. As such, the researchers concluded that Mycenae is transitioning from a single lifestyle of feeding on organics to a mutualistic symbiosis with plants.