# DAO Mycology –– HolOrgs

By [mycelia 🌌](https://paragraph.com/@mycelias) · 2022-03-16

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[_Preamble_](https://mirror.xyz/myceliastargaze.eth/L4aj_-Hl7_wzM2K7Im2LdoadK1bS3qPisR1-rZUEm-I)

“_‘Holobiont’ refers to an assemblage of different organisms that behave as a unit. Holobionts are the lichen of this world, more than the sum of their parts” –_ [Merlin Sheldrake](https://twitter.com/MerlinSheldrake), _Entangled Life_

[**Lichen**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen) are the archetypal [**holobiont**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen) –– [Algae](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae) / [Cyanobacteria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteria) + [Fungi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungus) forming a [mutualistic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutualism_\(biology\)) relationship

_Other fascinating features:_

*   Some lichen are considered to be among the oldest living organisms
    
*   They may survive _complete_ dehydration, as well as _direct exposure to the vacuum of space_
    
*   Their growth rate is regular yet extremely slow, about 1 millimeter a year
    
*   Reproduction takes place through [vegetative reproduction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetative_reproduction) –– propagation; or the dispersal of [diaspores](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diaspore_\(botany\)) –– a plant dispersal unit consisting of a [seed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed) or [spore](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spore)
    
*   “Symbiosis in lichens is so well-balanced that lichens have been considered to be relatively self-contained miniature ecosystems in and of themselves”
    

_Already, the parallels to Distributed Organizing are apparent:_

*   **No “DAO” is unique unto itself**: whether relying on the underlying chain or established protocols, these organizations are positive symbiosis
    
*   If the DAO governance mechanism fulfills the [Hyperstructure](https://jacob.energy/hyperstructures.html) property of **Unstoppability**, participation continues forever
    
*   It’s common for **DAOs to spawn new ones**: through Forking / Vampire Attacks –– similar to propagation; or by spawning a SubDAO –– with a parallel focus
    
*   As I cover in [Mutualistic Species Prosperity](https://mirror.xyz/myceliastargaze.eth/ZW6hYQ9QBv3REmprXu1wIbGUxm5xXqLhuzFiCvndw-k), DeFi is a **miniature ecosystem** –– A Holostructure: made up of _near_\-Hyperstructures **composing as larger than the sum of their parts**
    

Basically, everyone should read [Zefram](https://twitter.com/boredGenius)’s [**3 year old banger**](https://zefram.xyz/2019/05/daomesh-large-scale-collaboration.html):

> DAOmesh: Large-scale collaboration through a network of small DAOs connected by bounties
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I’ll have more about this eventually but I just wanted an excuse to talk about Holobionts for now. Cheers <3

**_“If we only have words that describe neatly bounded autonomous individuals, it is easy to think they actually exist” – Sheldrake_**

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*Originally published on [mycelia 🌌](https://paragraph.com/@mycelias/dao-mycology-holorgs)*