- Fungi live in the soil before a fire.
- Fires destroy many plants and animals nearby.
- Some fungi grow quickly after a fire ends.
- These fungi can eat charcoal and ash left.
- Their genes help them use the burnt material.
- Some fungi copy genes to make more enzymes.
- Others mix genes by mating to adapt faster.
- One fungus seems to get genes from bacteria.
- Many form heat-proof parts underground for many years.
- These fungi help burned land recover over time.
Difficult words
- fungus — A living thing like a mushroom in soilFungi
- gene — A small unit inside a living bodygenes
- enzyme — A protein that helps chemical reactions happenenzymes
- charcoal — Black burned wood left after a fire
- adapt — To change and survive in a new situation
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Have you seen land after a fire?
- Have you found mushrooms or fungi in soil?
- Do you think fungi help burned land recover?
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