Invasive fungi present a significant threat to terrestrial ecosystems. They can outcompete native fungi and alter food webs. Aggressive competition with native fungal species may be associated with increased rates of wood decay and CO2 emission, leading to unpredictable and cascading ecosystem effects including loss of habitat for insects, birds, and small mammals.
The Golden Oyster Mushroom (GOM) is a saprotrophic, wood-decaying, and aggressively spreading fungus that grows in dense clumps primarily on dead hardwood trees.