Fungal Mycelium
Mycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus. It consists of a mass of branching, fluffy, thread-like hyphae. Through the mycelium, a fungus absorbs nutrients from its environment. It does this by secreting enzymes onto the food source, which break down polymers into monomers. The monomers are then absorbed into the mycelium by facilitated diffusion and active transport.
Mycelium is so important in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems due to their role in the decomposition of plant material. Also, their growth releases carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere, they confer resistance to some plant pathogens for plants, and they are an important food source for many soil invertebrates.
Here's a close-up shot of the mycelium:
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