Diversity Ecology And Conservation Of Truffle Fungi In Forests Of The Pacific Northwest

Forests of the Pacific Northwest have been an epicenter for the evolution of truffle fungi with over 350 truffle species and 55 genera currently identified. Truffle fungi develop their reproductive fruit-bodies typically below ground, so they are harder to find and study than mushrooms that fruit aboveground. Truffle fungi form mycorrhizal symbioses that benefit the growth and survival of many tree and understory plants. This report explores the biology and ecology of truffle fungi in the Pacific Northwest, their importance in forest ecosystems, and effects of various silvicultural practices on sustaining truffle populations. General management principles and considerations to sustain this valuable fungal resource are provided. Illustrations.

Forests of the Pacific Northwest have been an epicenter for the evolution of truffle fungi with over 350 truffle species and 55 genera currently identified. Truffle fungi develop their reproductive fruit-bodies typically belowground, so they are harder to find and study than mushrooms that fruit aboveground. Nevertheless, over the last five decades, the Corvallis Forest Mycology program of the Pacific Northwest Research Station has amassed unprecedented knowledge on the diversity and ecology of truffles in the region. Truffle fungi form mycorrhizal symbioses that benefit the growth and survival of many tree and understory plants. Truffle fruit-bodies serve as a major food souce for many forest-dwelling mammals. A few truffle species are commercially harvested for gourmet consumption in regional restaurants. This publication explores the biology and ecology of truffle fungi in the Pacific Northwest, their importance in forest ecosystems, and effects of various silvicultural practices on sustaining truffle populations. General management principles and considerations to sustain this valuable fungal resource are provided.

Climate change and human activities are impacting the environment around the world and there is a great need to update our knowledge of natural resources in order to sustain the livelihoods of rural communities and urban dwellers. Educational tools help people to understand the ecology, and the management of natural resources and to participate in actions to protect the environment. This book has a multipurpose focus regarding biodiversity, management, and conservation of the natural resources as species are linked in nutritional webs in the ecosystems. Ecology, diversity, conservation, and management practices such as plant species, native fish, edible mushrooms, and woody species are important for improving people livelihoods and incomes. It is expected that readers will learn to apply similar multipurpose approaches to natural resources in other parts of the world when their environments are affected by climate change or human activities. This book introduces the importance of the sustainable management of natural resources to a wide audience, including policy decision makers, but also researchers.

"...a number of chapters provide excellent summaries of the modern methods available for studying fungal ecology, along with those more traditional methods that are still extremely valuable...overall it is a hugely valuable compendium of fungal ecology research. It is a must for the library shelf." -Lynne Boddy, Cardiff University, UK, Mycological Research, 2006 "These 44 chapters are an excellent starting point for anyone interested in fungal communities, in the broadest sense of the term. It is a book for dipping into...may be the last comprehensive treatment of fungal communities before the molecular revolution." -Meriel Jones, University of Liverpool, UK, Microbiology Today "... the scope of the work is tremendous. ... Excellent chapters providing overviews of methods ... provide a snap shot of the current approaches used to understand fungal communities at several levels of organization. This book should probably be on the shelf of every student of mycology, and many ecologists too. For all students, this book should be a valuable resource and source of inspiration." -Daniel Henk, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, London, in Inoculum, Vol. 59, No. 3, May 2008 "Thorough taxonomic and subject indices further aid the reader in navigating through multiple authors’ treatments of subjects of interest." - Anthony Amend, Department of Botany, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Economic Botany, V. 61 ? In all subjects in science, new findings and the use of new technologies allow us to develop an ever-greater understanding of our world. Expanded and updated coverage in the fourth edition includes: Adds new sections on Integrating Genomics and Metagenomics into Community Analysis, Recent Advances in Fungal Endophyte Research, Fungi in the Built Environment, and Fungal Signaling and Communication Includes a broader treatment of fungal communities in natural ecosystems with in-depth coverage of fungal adaptations to stress and conservation Expands coverage of the influence of climate change on fungi and the role of fungi in organically polluted ecosystems Includes contributions from scientists from 20 nations to illustrate a true global approach for bridging gaps between ecological concepts and mycology

Edible ectomycorrhizal mushrooms (EEMMs) comprise more than 1000 species and are an important food and forest resource. In this volume of Soil Biology, internationally recognized scientists offer their most recent research findings on these beguiling fungi. Topics covered include: complex ecological interactions between plants, EEMMs, and soil organisms; comparative genomics, high-throughput sequencing and modern research tools; genetic selection of fungal strains and techniques for inoculating plants; economic and social considerations surrounding wild collected EEMMs; and practical information concerning soil management and EEMM cultivation. The book will be a useful guide for anyone interested in soil ecology, forestry, or the genetics and cultivation of EEMMs, and provides an extensive knowledge base and inspirations for future studies on these ecologically and economically important fungi.

Winner of the CBHL Award of Excellence California is one of the most ecologically rich and diverse regions of North America, and home to hundreds of species of mushrooms. In California Mushrooms, mycologist experts Dennis Desjardin, Michael Wood, and Fred Stevens provide over 1100 species profiles, including comprehensive descriptions and spectacular photographs. Each profile includes information on macro- and micromorphology, habitat, edibility, and comparisons with closely related species and potential look-alikes. Although the focus of the book is on mushrooms of California, over 90% of the species treated occur elsewhere, making the book useful throughout western North America. This complete reference covers everything necessary for the mushroom hunter to accurately identify over 650 species.

This well-organized reference guide to wild mushrooms will aid professional mycologists, students, and mushroom enthusiasts alike with its accurate and detailed identification tools. It provides nomenclaturally and scientifically accurate accounts of the unusually wide range of mushrooms in the Southeast, from northerly species found in North Georgia and North Carolina to the subtropical and even tropical species found in the Piedmont. Comprehensive in scope, this guide offers a thoughtful approach to solving taxonomy and identification problems. Features: -Coverage of 24 genera and 450 species -More than 1,000 color photographs that aid in identification -Line drawings that detail the complicated and subtle structures of fungi -Classification of seldom-seen species as well as those most familiar in the region -Sections on toxic and psychoactive properties of some fungi -Warnings about the dangers of some mushroom varieties