Mathematical modelling of mycelia: a question of scale

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mathematical modelling of mycelia: a question of scale

A1 - Davidson,Fordyce A.

AU - Davidson,Fordyce A.

PY - 2007

Y1 - 2007

N2 - Recent advances in systems biology have driven many aspects of biological research in a direction heavily weighted towards computational, quantitative and predictive analysis, based on, or assisted by mathematical modelling. In particular, mathematical modelling has played a significant role in the development of our understanding of the growth and function of the fungal mycelium. One of the main problems that faces modellers in this context is the choice of scale. In the study of fungal mycelia, the question of scale is expressed in an extreme manner: Their indeterminate growth habit ensures that the investigation of the growth and function of mycelial fungi has to consider scales ranging from the (sub) micron to the kilometer. An excellent and extensive review of the applications of mathematical modelling to fungal growth, conducted up to the mid-1990s, can be found in Prosser (1995). In this article, we will concentrate on work since that date, with the emphasis being on recent developments in understanding fungal mycelia at all scales.

AB - Recent advances in systems biology have driven many aspects of biological research in a direction heavily weighted towards computational, quantitative and predictive analysis, based on, or assisted by mathematical modelling. In particular, mathematical modelling has played a significant role in the development of our understanding of the growth and function of the fungal mycelium. One of the main problems that faces modellers in this context is the choice of scale. In the study of fungal mycelia, the question of scale is expressed in an extreme manner: Their indeterminate growth habit ensures that the investigation of the growth and function of mycelial fungi has to consider scales ranging from the (sub) micron to the kilometer. An excellent and extensive review of the applications of mathematical modelling to fungal growth, conducted up to the mid-1990s, can be found in Prosser (1995). In this article, we will concentrate on work since that date, with the emphasis being on recent developments in understanding fungal mycelia at all scales.

KW - Fungal mycelia

KW - Mathematical modelling

U2 - 10.1016/j.fbr.2007.02.005

DO - 10.1016/j.fbr.2007.02.005

M1 - Article

JO - Fungal Biology Reviews

JF - Fungal Biology Reviews

SN - 1749-4613

IS - 1

VL - 21

SP - 30

EP - 41

ER -