Folia Cryptogamica Estonica

This book considers the issues involved in fungal conservation and provides practical guidance for management of nature in ways beneficial to fungi.

Medicinal mushrooms have been used since ancient times. Certain mushrooms can be used to treat numerous conditions, including those related to cardiovascular health, obesity, cholesterol balance, bone health, diabetes, and cancer. Wild Mushrooms and Health: Diversity, Phytochemistry, Medicinal Benefits, and Cultivation presents reports on numerous species of wild medicinal mushrooms with discussion of drug-discovery implications, analysis of bioactive substances, and prospects for cultivation. FEATURES Comprehensive review of medicinal mushrooms as sources of promising bioactive molecules and prospective compounds for drug discovery Information on diversity, distribution, ethnomycology, ecology, cultivation, descriptions of specific species, and folk medicinal uses of mushrooms throughout the world Emphasis on identification, documentation, bioactive substances, and the nature of mushroom bioactivity Discussion of the nutraceutical properties of wild mushrooms, including high protein content comparable to that of meat, and low fat content, which make them a complete dietary food source Exploration of methods used in the collection, identification, documentation, cultivation, analysis, and conservation of mushrooms for drug discovery An installment in the Exploring Medicinal Plants series, this volume is a comprehensive resource for medical researchers, scientists, and pharmaceutical companies. In addition, this resource is appropriate for mycologists and botanists interested in pharmacognosy.

Macrofungi have significant importance in human health, particularly in nutrition, medicine, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and industries. They occupy a variety of ecosystems such as terrestrial (agricultural lands, forests and deserts), freshwater (bogs and marshes) and maritime (mangroves and coastal sand dunes) habitats. Their ecosystem services like nutrition (humans and animals), medicinal pursuits (antibiotics and pharmaceuticals) and bioremediation (degradation of xenobiotics and insect control) potential are dependent on their diversity and ecological conditions. Macrofungal ecology serves as the basis for nutraceutical values, agricultural benefits, plant productivity, environmental protection and industrially valued biocomposites. This book focuses on various aspects of macrofungal distribution in diverse habitats, participation in organic matter decomposition, ectomycorrhizal associations and participation in biogeochemical cycles. This book reviews the current developments in macrofungal ecology in different habitats and their benefits. Due to the topics dealt with on macrofungal diversity, distribution, dynamics, lifestyles, ecosystem or substrate preferences and ecosystem services, this book is valuable to mycologists, botanists, zoologists, ecologists, foresters, geneticists, agronomists and field biologists.

Biodiversity of Fungi is essential for anyone collecting and/or monitoring any fungi. Fascinating and beautiful, fungi are vital components of nearly all ecosystems and impact human health and our economy in a myriad of ways. Standardized methods for documenting diversity and distribution have been lacking. A wealth of information, especially regrading sampling protocols, compiled by an international team of fungal biologists, make Biodiversity of Fungi an incredible and fundamental resource for the study of organismal biodiversity. Chapters cover everything from what is a fungus, to maintaining and organizing a permanent study collection with associated databases; from protocols for sampling slime molds to insect associated fungi; from fungi growing on and in animals and plants to mushrooms and truffles. The chapters are arranged both ecologically and by sampling method rather than by taxonomic group for ease of use. The information presented here is intended for everyone interested in fungi, anyone who needs tools to study them in nature including naturalists, land managers, ecologists, mycologists, and even citizen scientists and sophiscated amateurs. Covers all groups of fungi - from molds to mushrooms, even slime molds Describes sampling protocols for many groups of fungi Arranged by sampling method and ecology to coincide with users needs Beautifully illustrated to document the range of fungi treated and techniques discussed Natural history data are provided for each group of fungi to enable users to modify suggested protocols to meet their needs