Auricularia auricula-judae 

Biological Overview

Habitat 
Woodland areas, commonly found on dead or dying elder trees. 
 
Diet 

It eats and breaks down dead and dying hardwood, specifically elder trees. 
 
Role in Ecosystem 
The jelly ear fungus is a saprotrophic decomposer.  
 
Behavior 
Doesn’t move on its own, absorbing water to become wobbly and life-like. 

Human Impact

Humans have a bad impact on the jelly ear fungus. Deforestation removes the dead and dying wood, like the elder trees that the jelly ear fungus relies on for survival. This can also cause things like habitat loss, moisture loss, and decay distribution. 

Creative Exploration

I live my life on a tree, an elder tree. I am a rubbery reddish-brown ear-like lobe. I think I’m in the UK, but most importantly I’m on this dying tree. I’m mostly used for medical purpose for the humans but the deforestation is destroying my habitat. It seems to be snowing but I’m not cold. I can survive here and thaw out after it turns sunny again. I love my ear-like shape, I can use this to absorb water to become life-like. The fungi, I am, expands, contract, and changes textures using the moisture around me. Even if I can’t talk, move, or see, I can still be the fungi, I can be. My scientific name is Auricularia auricula-judae and I am 3-10 cm of pure Fungi. 

Emma Sullivan, Sunday G., Logan M 

Book 4