Biodiversity of Fungi: Inventory and Monitoring Methods

by Mercedes S. Foster (Editor), Gerald F. Bills (Editor)

Overview

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

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780080470269
Publisher:	Elsevier Science
Publication date:	04/28/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	777
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

Table of Contents

PART I: General Issues 1. Fungi and Their Allies 2. Preparation, Preservation, and Use of Fungal Specimens in Herbaria 3. Preservation and Distribution of Fungal Cultures 4. Electronic Information Resources 5. Fungal Biodiversity Patterns 6. Molecular Methods for Discriminating Taxa, Monitoring Species, and Assessing Fungal Diversity

PART IIA: Recommended Protocols for Sampling Particular Groups of Fungi: Direct Collecting and Isolation Protocols for Macrofungi and Mircofungi on Soil, Wood, Leaves, Lichens, and Other Substrata 7. Fungi on Living Plant Substrata, Including Fruits 8. Terrestrial and Lignicolous Macrofungi 9. Lichenized Fungi 10. Sequestrate Fungi

PART IIB: Recommended Protocols for Sampling Particular Groups of Fungi: Isolation Protocols for Readily Culturable Microfungi Associated with Plants 11. Microfungi on Wood and Plant Debris 12. Endophytic Fungi 13. Saprobic Soil Fungi 14. Fungi in Stressful Environments 15. Mutualistic Arbuscular Endomycorrhizal Fungi 16. Yeasts 17. Fungicolous Fungi

PART IIC: Recommended Protocols for Sampling Particular Groups of Fungi: Collecting and Isolation Protocols for Fungi Associated with Animals 18. Insect- and Other Arthropod-Associated Fungi 19. Fungal Parasites and Predators of Rotifers, Nematodes, and Other Invertebrates 20. Fungi Associated With Vertebrates 21. Coprophilous Fungi 22. Anaerobic Zoosporic Fungi Associated with Animals

PART IID: Recommended Protocols for Sampling Particular Groups of Fungi: Collecting and Isolation Protocols for Aquatic Fungi and for Protoctistans Formerly Treated as Fungi 23. Fungi in Freshwater Habitats 24. Marine and Estuarine Mycelial Eumycota and Oomycota 25. Mycetozoans 26. Fungi Associated with Aquatic Animals

PART III: Appendices, Glossary, Literature Cited, and Miscellaneous

Editorial Reviews

"The overall layout of this text makes it easily accessible as a reference, with illustrations and stunning color photographs supplementing the text where needed...the comprehensiveness of this text makes it a must-have reference for mycologists, ecologists, plant pathologists, fungal pathologists, and anyone else interested in fungal biodiversity." —Dawn R. Black, Dept. of Environmental & Plant Biology, Ohio University, in JOURNAL OF THE TORREY BOTANICAL SOCIETY, 2005

"This is a library tome and I am sure it will generate great interest amongst students who have the privilege and luxury of attending a tailored institute course..." —Roy Watling, in MYCOLOGIST, 2005

"Anywhere you enter the book, you will find something to pique your interest. Sit down and read any one chapter and be transported into that world." —Darlene Southworth, Southern Oregon University, in PLANT SCIENCE BULLETIN, 2005

"This is an excellent book which has appeared at a time when biodiversity discussions are in the forefront of ecologists as a whole. If we are to progress further with understanding the development and function of communities of fungi and, especially if we are to attempt to relate the current knowledge of fungal diversity to fungal and ecosystem functioning, we need to have much more robust data on the actual diversity of fungi at all scales of resolution and improve out knowledge of their functional attributes. This book not only shows us the way to go, but tells us how to do so in a way that will maximize the quality of the data generated. The editors and chapter authors are to be congratulated on producing such a colourful and informative text." —John Dighton, Department of Biology, Rutgers University, Camden, in MYCOTAXON, VOL. 90, 2004

"Biodiversity of Fungi is a valuable and much-needed body of work. Graduate students, professionals, including non-mycologists, will appreciate its comprehensiveness as well as its accessible protocols...the editors have greatly simplified the overwhelming complexity of quantifying fungal diversity." —Miranda Hart, Environmental Biology, University of Guelph, in TRENDS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION

"Biodiversity of Fungi is a welcome addition to my reference bookshelf. I have often wished for a book that combined fungal sampling methods in one place, and I am grateful that this enormous team of editors and authors has completed this heroic undertaking." —BIOSCIENCE

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