The Kingdom of Plants
I have training in plant pathology; and during my thirty-eight years of service at North Carolina State University (NCSU), I taught courses and conducted research relative to plants and their disease organisms, mostly fungi.
Gerald Van Dyke PhD
The Kingdom Fungi
I will begin this article by asking several questions, then present examples of this marvelous Kingdom, and then finish with my conclusions relative to these questions.
The Christ of Creation
I will begin by stating the mission of TASC: "to rebuild and strengthen the foundation of the Christian faith by increasing awareness of the scientific evidences supporting the literal Biblical account of creation and refuting evolution."
While the TASC Board invests considerable time and energy in pursuit of scientific evidences for explanations of the universe, earth, and life as we know it, we never want to lose sight of the importance of the Creator Himself, Jesus Christ. It is the constant desire of TASC to have all peoples recognize first and foremost the Creator Himself.
Designed Interactions between Fungi, Plants, and Animals
Symbiosis (from Ancient Greek sýn “with” and bíōsis “living”) is close and often long-term interactions between different biological species. In 1877 Bennett used the word symbiosis (which previously had been used of people living together in community) to describe the mutualistic relationship between an alga and fungus in lichens. In 1879 the German mycologist Heinrich Anton de Bary defined it as “the living together of unlike organisms.”
Figure 1 - Lichens are an example of a commensal symbiotic relationship.
My Christian Journey and Years at North Carolina State University as a Young Earth Creationist
Editor's Note: Dr. Van Dyke is Professor Emeritus of Botany at North Carolina State University, having taught there 38 years. He is a cofounder of TASC and has served in several positions, including chairman. In this article, Dr. Van Dyke relates how his academic and spiritual histories reflect God's faithfulness. As the scripture teaches: "for them that honor me I will honor" (1 Sam 2:30).