Richer than Gold: the fungal biodiversity of Reserva Los Cedros, a threatened Andean cloud forest.

BACKGROUND: Globally, many undescribed fungal taxa reside in the hyperdiverse, yet undersampled, tropics. These species are under increasing threat from habitat destruction by expanding extractive industry, in addition to global climate change and other threats. Reserva Los Cedros is a primary cloud forest reserve of ~ 5256 ha, and is among the last unlogged watersheds on the western slope of the Ecuadorian Andes. No major fungal survey has been done there, presenting an opportunity to document fungi in primary forest in an underrepresented habitat and location. Above-ground surveys from 2008 to 2019 resulted in 1760 vouchered collections, cataloged and deposited at QCNE in Ecuador, mostly Agaricales sensu lato and Xylariales. We document diversity using a combination of ITS barcode sequencing and digital photography, and share the information via public repositories (GenBank & iNaturalist). RESULTS: Preliminary identifications indicate the presence of at least 727 unique fungal species within the Reserve, representing 4 phyla, 17 classes, 40 orders, 101 families, and 229 genera. Two taxa at Los Cedros have recently been recommended to the IUCN Fungal Red List Initiative (Thamnomyces chocöensis Læssøe and "Lactocollybia" aurantiaca Singer), and we add occurrence data for two others already under consideration (Hygrocybe aphylla Læssøe & Boertm. and Lamelloporus americanus Ryvarden). CONCLUSIONS: Plants and animals are known to exhibit exceptionally high diversity and endemism in the Chocó bioregion, as the fungi do as well. Our collections contribute to understanding this important driver of biodiversity in the Neotropics, as well as illustrating the importance and utility of such data to conservation efforts. RESUMEN: Antecedentes: A nivel mundial muchos taxones fúngicos no descritos residen en los trópicos hiper diversos aunque continúan submuestreados. Estas especies están cada vez más amenazadas por la destrucción del hábitat debido a la expansión de la industria extractivista además del cambio climático global y otras amenazas. Los Cedros es una reserva de bosque nublado primario de ~ 5256 ha y se encuentra entre las últimas cuencas hidrográficas no explotadas en la vertiente occidental de los Andes ecuatorianos. Nunca antes se ha realizado un estudio de diversidad micológica en el sitio, lo que significa una oportunidad para documentar hongos en el bosque primario, en hábitat y ubicación subrepresentatadas. El presente estudio recopila información entre el 2008 y 2019 muestreando material sobre todos los sustratos, reportando 1760 colecciones catalogadas y depositadas en el Fungario del QCNE de Ecuador, en su mayoría Agaricales sensu lato y Xylariales; además se documenta la diversidad mediante secuenciación de códigos de barras ITS y fotografía digital, la información está disponible en repositorios públicos digitales (GenBank e iNaturalist). RESULTADOS: La identificación preliminar indica la presencia de al menos 727 especies únicas de hongos dentro de la Reserva, que representan 4 filos, 17 clases, 40 órdenes, 101 familias y 229 géneros. Recientemente dos taxones en Los Cedros se recomendaron a la Iniciativa de Lista Roja de Hongos de la UICN (Thamnomyces chocöensis Læssøe y "Lactocollybia" aurantiaca Singer) y agregamos datos de presencia de otros dos que ya estaban bajo consideración (Hygrocybe aphylla Læssøe & Boertm. y Lamelloporus americanus Ryvarden). CONCLUSIONES: Se sabe que plantas y animales exhiben una diversidad y endemismo excepcionalmente altos en la bioregión del Chocó y los hongos no son la excepción. Nuestras colecciones contribuyen a comprender este importante promotor de la biodiversidad en el Neotrópico además de ilustrar la importancia y utilidad de dichos datos para los esfuerzos de conservación.

Diversity, biology, and history of psilocybin-containing fungi: Suggestions for research and technological development.

Therapeutic use of psilocybin has become a focus of recent international research, with preliminary data showing promise to address a range of treatment-resistant mental health conditions. However, use of psilocybin as a healing entheogen has a long history through traditional consumption of mushrooms from the genus Psilocybe. The forthcoming adoption of new psilocybin-assisted therapeutic practices necessitates identification of preferred sources of psilocybin; consequently, comprehensive understanding of psilocybin-containing fungi is fundamental to consumer safety. Here we examine psilocybin producing fungi, discuss their biology, diversity, and ethnomycological uses. We also review recent work focused on elucidation of psilocybin biosynthetic production pathways, especially those from the genus Psilocybe, and their evolutionary history. Current research on psilocybin therapies is discussed, and recommendations for necessary future mycological research are outlined.

Cortinarius subgenus Leprocybe, unexpected diversity and significant differences in species compositions between western and eastern North America.

The focus of this paper is the North American species of Cortinarius in subg. Leprocybe. Eighteen species, including twelve new ones, and two tentative (aff.) species, are delimited based on morphological and molecular data (DNA ITS-LSU sequences). Existing type specimens of species in subg. Leprocybe were also studied, and neo- or epitypes designated for C. cotoneus, C. melanotus, C. phrygianus and C. venetus to stabilize the nomenclature. In addition, to improve the infrasubgeneric classification of Leprocybe three new sections are proposed: sect. Fuscotomentosi, sect. Melanoti and sect. Squamiveneti. This study adds substantial information to the knowledge of subg. Leprocybe in North America against a background of European species. To date only two species, C. phrygianus and C. squamivenetus have been reported from both continents. Citation: Ammirati J, Liimatainen K, Bojantchev D, et al. 2021. Cortinarius subgenus Leprocybe, unexpected diversity and significant differences in species compositions between western and eastern North America. Persoonia 46: 216-239. https://doi.org/10.3767/persoonia.2021.46.08.

Generic circumscriptions in Geoglossomycetes.

The class Geoglossomycetes is a recently created class of Ascomycota, currently comprised of one family (Geoglossaceae) and five genera (Geoglossum, Nothomitra, Sarcoleotia, Thuemenidium and Trichoglossum). These fungi, commonly known as earth tongues, have long been a subject of mycological research. However, the taxonomy within the group has historically been hindered by the lack of reliable morphological characters, uncertain ecological associations, and the inability to grow these fungi in culture. The phylogenetic relationships of Geoglossomycetes were investigated by conducting maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses using a 4-gene dataset (ITS, LSU, MCM7, RPB1). Five well-supported monophyletic clades were found that did not correspond exactly with the currently recognised genera, necessitating a taxonomic revision of the group. Two new genera are proposed: Glutinoglossum to accommodate G. glutinosum and the newly described species G. heptaseptatum, and Sabuloglossum to accommodate S. arenarium. The type species of Thuemenidium, traditionally included within the Geoglossaceae, is confirmed as belonging to a separate lineage that is only distantly related to Geoglossomycetes.

Ectomycorrhizal fungal communities of oak savanna are distinct from forest communities.

Oak savanna is one of the most endangered ecosystems of North America, with less than 0.02% of its original area remaining. Here we test whether oak savanna supports a unique community of ectomycorrhizal fungi, a higher diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungi or a greater proportional abundance of ascomycete fungi compared with adjacent areas where the absence of fire has resulted in oak savanna conversion to oak forest. The overall fungal community was highly diverse and dominated by Cenococcum geophilum and other ascomycetes, Cortinarius, Russula, Lactarius and Thelephoraceae. Oak savanna mycorrhizal communities were distinct from oak forest communities both aboveground (sporocarp surveys) and belowground (RFLP identification of ectomycorrhizal root tips); however total diversity was not higher in oak savanna than oak forests and there was no evidence of a greater abundance of ascomycetes. Despite not having a higher local diversity than oak forests, the presence of a unique fungal community indicates that oak savanna plays an important role in maintaining regional ectomycorrhizal diversity.

Assembling the Fungal Tree of Life: constructing the structural and biochemical database.

A major goal of the Assembling the Fungal Tree of Life project is to create a searchable database of selected ultrastructural and biochemical characters from published and new data for use in phylogenetic and other analyses. While developing this database such issues as evaluating specimen fixation quality in published micrographs, organizing data to accommodate characters that were dependent on location and developmental stage, and requiring accountability of data contributors were addressed. Character states for three traits, septal pore apparatus, nuclear division and spindle pole body cycle, are illustrated, and character states are resolved with maximum parsimony and plotted on a summary cladogram of known phylogenetic relationships of the Fungi. The analysis illustrates the inherent phylogenetic signal of these characters, the paucity of comparable characters and character states in subcellular studies and the challenges in establishing a comprehensive structural and biochemical database of the Fungi.

Controlling bacterial contamination of an enteral formula through the use of a unique closed system: contamination, enteral formulas, closed system.

Contamination of enteral diets may play an essential role in formula tolerance and safety for patients. Contaminated enteral formula commonly support microbiological growth. Commercially sterile liquid formulas received from the manufacturer are required by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to be shelf-stable and free from enteric pathogens. This study examined the use of large volume, closed system containers in a typical nursing home. Large volume (1500 mL) containers with unique pierceable caps and piercing spikes were studied to determine their ability to reduce the incidence of microbiological contamination due to their design and ability to decrease handling requirements. This study took place in a room of a typical nursing home. In this clinical setting, 211 containers and administration spike sets were evaluated following a 36-h hangtime. Contamination was virtually nondetectable. Nursing staff in a clinical facility can effectively utilize a large volume, prefilled, ready-to-use feeding system to achieve delivery of noncontaminated product for up to 36 h hangtime.