Fungal Conservation

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

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

"...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

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.