If all the fungi is the Pacific Northwest were to die, how would our forests be affected?

Answer 1

I think this question has to do with the mycorrhizae - the associations between fungi and the roots of the giant trees. These fungi vastly increase the absorption area available to the root. They not only break down organic matter in the soil, but they pass the resulting nutrients and absorbed water along to the tree roots.

You should be able to find many good articles on this topic. Here's one to get you started: http://www.californiagardenclubs.org/html/mycorrhizae.html

Answer 2

I believe the boreal forrests in Northern and even parts of Southern Vancouver rely on this fungi as an essential source of sustainability. If it was to dissapear it would be a loss to the eco system.

Answer 3

First the mushroom pickers would be pissed.
second every thing else that eats fungus would have to find something else to eat (don't know of any)
all the dead leaves would pile up.
soil would become dead, having less nutrients.
no soil, no plants, no plants no animals.

but fungus are very resilient things and pervasive.
if one cant grow another will.
so to kill them all off would take some kind of massive irradiation that would kill every thing else too.

Answer 4

Ask Al "ALGORE" Gore. He's got all the answers about the Eco-System!!