Symbiosis

1. Mystery of the mycorrhizae
– memory card game

This is a memory card game where you learn about the symbiotic relationship between trees and fungi that occur in the boreal forests of Northern Europe. As a warmer up before the game, you can listen to the sections Vascular Plants and Pine and Fungi from our Biodiversity & Evolutionary History -walk.

Age: 6+
Number of players: 2-6 people
Time: 20-30 minutes + introduction
Contents: 52 playing cards
 
Materials

• Playing cards (pdf). We recommend printing them two-sided in colour on a thicker paper if possible. In this way you will also get a patterned backside for the cards. Detach the cards from each other by cutting along the marked line.
  
• The rules of the game can be read here and printed out here (pdf). Before the game, read the introduction to the participants about the root networks beneath the soil and how the mycorrhizae system works.

Extra materials

• Poster where all the mushrooms and trees from the game are together at one place. Poster was designed to be printed on 100 x 70 cm thick paper and stick on the wall, or it can be printed on textile. For printing large formats is best to ask your local printing company.
• Additional information about the fungal species included for the card game. For example, you can find out which of the species are edible, where they grow and how they have received their name.

 
You can find more information on how to identify mushrooms from Laji.fi.
 
We want to thank Jenna Purhonen and Kaisa Tervonen for commenting on the scientific contents and illustrations!

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​Main references for the game 
​and more materials on the topic:
 
Websites:
* Laji.fi
* LuontoPortti
* British Mycological Society
 
Animation:
* Mycorrhiza – what connects fungus and plant.
Deggendorf University of Applied Sciences on behalf of Bavarian Forest National Park. Copyright Nina Pötschke and National Park Administration Bavarian Forest.

Books:
* Merlin Sheldrake. Entangled Life. Random House, 2020.
* Fungarium – Ester Gaya and Katie Scott. Templar Publishing in association with RBG Kew, 2020.

Scientific references and articles:
* Duodecim Terveyskirjasto 2016. Lääketieteen sanasto. Punakärpässieni.
* Hoppu K. & Nykopp J. 2014. Sienimyrkytykset ja niiden hoito. Potilaan Lääkärilehti.
* Härkönen M. 2018. Mistä kärpässienen nimi tulee? Sienilehti 70:28.
* Keto-Tokoi P. & Siitonen J. 2021. Puiden asukkaat - Suomen puiden seuralaislajit. Gaudeamus.
* Niemelä T. 2005. Käävät, puiden sienet. Kasvimuseo, Luonnontieteellinen keskusmuseo.
* Räsänen R. 2006. Sateenkaaren värit sienistä. Sienilehti 58: 48–54.
* Salo P. ym. 2006. Suomen sieniopas. Kasvimuseo. WSOY.
* Seppänen E. & Juvonen R. 2005. Suippumyrkkyseitikkimyrkytys. Sienilehti 57: 108–116.
* Varis M. 2001. Sienten nimet sienestäjän oppaana. Sananjalka 43: 65–79. 
* Vestberg M. & Timonen S. (toim.) 2018. Rihman kiertämät – Kasvien ja sienten erottamaton elämä. Forssa Print.