Shu Matsuura
School of High-Technology for Human Welfare, Tokai University, Numazu, Shizuoka 410-0395, Japan
E-mail: shum@wing.ncc.u-tokai.ac.jp
(Received April 19, 2000; Accepted May 19, 2000)
Keywords: Filamentous Fungi, Colony Patterning, Random Growth Model, Self-Affinity
Abstract. Colonies of filamentous fungi exhibit variety of shapes under various nutrient levels. To understand the generation of various colony patterns, a colony model with single- and multi-mycelial layers that develops consuming limited amount of nutrient is constructed. The external parameters of this model are the initial nutrient level and the diffusion coefficient of nutrient, and the internal parameters are the hyphal growth rate and the nutrient storage level required for hyphal growth. The development of front roughness of the multi-layer colony is found suppressed at high nutrient levels. The nutrient diffusion brings about variation of colony morphology for multi-layer colonies. At very low nutrient levels, ramified colonies with thick branches develop through high nutrient influx.