Fungal Biology in the Origin and Emergence of Life

A unique account of life's evolution using the most recent research and weaving evolution of fungi into evolution of eukaryotes.

David Moore (Author)

9781107652774, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 24 January 2013

236 pages, 28 b/w illus. 2 tables
22.8 x 15.1 x 1.1 cm, 0.38 kg

'… pitched at a level where a very wide range of readers should feel rewarded by the many sage views clearly expressed, and the fair-handed discussions of multiple conflicting hypotheses about the subject matter … This volume is particularly recommended to those mycologists who focus on issues of fungal phylogeny.' Richard A. Humber, The Quarterly Review of Biology

The rhythm of life on Earth includes several strong themes contributed by Kingdom Fungi. So why are fungi ignored when theorists ponder the origin of life? Casting aside common theories that life originated in an oceanic primeval soup, in a deep, hot place, or even a warm little pond, this is a mycological perspective on the emergence of life on Earth. The author traces the crucial role played by the first biofilms – products of aerosols, storms, volcanic plumes and rainout from a turbulent atmosphere – which formed in volcanic caves 4 billion years ago. Moore describes how these biofilms contributed to the formation of the first prokaryotic cells, and later, unicellular stem eukaryotes, highlighting the role of the fungal grade of organisation in the evolution of higher organisms. Based on the latest research, this is a unique account of the origin of life and its evolutionary diversity to the present day.

1. Learning from life on Earth in the present day
2. Essentials of fungal cell biology
3. First, make a habitat
4. The building blocks of life
5. An extraterrestrial origin of life?
6. Endogenous synthesis of prebiotic organic compounds on the young Earth
7. Cooking the recipe for life
8. 'It's life, Jim…'
9. Coming alive: what happened and where?
10. My name is LUCA
11. Towards eukaryotes
12. Rise of the fungi
13. Emergence of diversity
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Botany & plant sciences [PST], Mycology, fungi [non-medical PSQ], Developmental biology [PSC], Evolution [PSAJ], Biology, life sciences [PS]