Tuber wenchuanense, a holarctic truffle with a wide range of host plants and description of its ectomycorrhiza with spruce.

Tuber wenchuanense ascomata (Ascomycota, Pezizales), a species originally described from Sichuan (China), were found in the Tatra Mountains in southern Poland. The purpose of this work was to (i) report and assess the first case of the holarctic natural distribution of a Tuber species, (ii) amend the original description of the species, (iii) summarize data on its host plants and (iv) describe its ectomycorrhiza. Specimens of Tuber wenchuanense from the Tatra Mountains were studied morphologically and molecularly. The ectomycorrhiza of this truffle with Picea abies was described for the first time. The distribution of T. wenchuanense, which is reconstructed based on sequences deposited in the publicly available nucleotide sequence databases, makes it the first holarctic Tuber species and the one with the northernmost habitat. In fact, its habitat is confined mainly to mountain coniferous forests and alpine and arctic tundra; although, according to known observations, the fruiting bodies of T. wenchuanense can be produced only under conifers. Based on the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer, this species appears to have low genetic variability over the entire distribution range. The phylogenetic tree showed that some of the unidentified phylotypes from the Rufum clade found by other researchers belong to T. wenchuanense. The ecological implications of these findings are discussed.

Rhizoglomus dalpeae, R. maiae, and R. silesianum, new species.

We examined three arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF; phylum Glomeromycota) producing glomoid spores. The mode of formation and morphology of these spores suggested that they represent undescribed species in the genus Rhizoglomus of the family Glomeraceae. Subsequent morphological studies of the spores and molecular phylogenetic analyses of sequences of the nuc rDNA small subunit (18S), internal transcribed spacer (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 = ITS), and large subunit (28S) region (= 18S-ITS-28S) confirmed the suggestion and indicated that the fungi strongly differ from all previously described Rhizoglomus species with known DNA barcodes. Consequently, the fungi were described here as new species: R. dalpeae, R. maiae, and R. silesianum. Two of these species lived hypogeously in the field in habitats subjected to strong environmental stresses. Rhizoglomus dalpeae originated from an inselberg located within Guineo-Sudanian transition savanna zone in Benin, West Africa, where the temperature of the inselberg rock during a 5-mo drought ranges from 40 to 60 C. Rhizoglomus silesianum originated from a coal mine spoil heap in Poland, whose substrate is extremely poor in nutrients, has unfavorable texture, and may heat up to 50 C. By contrast, R. maiae was found in more favorable habitat conditions. It produced an epigeous cluster of spores among shrubs growing in a tropical humid reserve in Brazil. Moreover, the compatibility of phylogenies of species of the family Glomeraceae reconstructed from analyses of sequences of 18S-ITS-28S and the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB1) gene was discussed.

Taxi drivers: the role of animals in transporting mycorrhizal fungi.

Dispersal of mycorrhizal fungi via animals and the importance for the interacting partners' life history as well as for ecosystems is an understudied topic. In this review, we describe the available evidence and the most important knowledge gaps and finally suggest ways to gain the missing information. So far, 33 articles have been published proving a successful transfer of mycorrhizal propagules by animals. The vast majority of research on invertebrates was focused on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, whereas papers on vertebrates (mainly rodents and artiodactyls) equally addressed ectomycorrhizal (ECM) and AM fungi. Effective dispersal has been mostly shown by the successful inoculation of bait plants and less commonly by spore staining or germination tests. Based on the available data and general knowledge on animal lifestyles, collembolans and oribatid mites may be important in transporting ECM fungal propagules by ectozoochory, whereas earthworms, isopods, and millipedes could mainly transfer AM fungal spores in their gut systems. ECM fungal distribution may be affected by mycophagous dipterans and their hymenopteran parasitoids, while slugs, snails, and beetles could transport both mycorrhizal groups. Vertebrates feeding on fruit bodies were shown to disperse mainly ECM fungi, while AM fungi are transported mostly accidentally by herbivores. The important knowledge gaps include insufficient information on dispersal of fungal propagules other than spores, the role of invertebrates in the dispersal of mycorrhizal fungi, the way in which propagules pass through food webs, and the spatial distances reached by different dispersal mechanisms both horizontally and vertically.

Practical aspects of genetic identification of hallucinogenic and other poisonous mushrooms for clinical and forensic purposes.

AIM: To assess the usefulness of a DNA-based method for identifying mushroom species for application in forensic laboratory practice. METHODS: Two hundred twenty-one samples of clinical forensic material (dried mushrooms, food remains, stomach contents, feces, etc) were analyzed. ITS2 region of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) was sequenced and the sequen-ces were compared with reference sequences collected from the National Center for Biotechnology Information gene bank (GenBank). Sporological identification of mushrooms was also performed for 57 samples of clinical material. RESULTS: Of 221 samples, positive sequencing results were obtained for 152 (69%). The highest percentage of positive results was obtained for samples of dried mushrooms (96%) and food remains (91%). Comparison with GenBank sequences enabled identification of all samples at least at the genus level. Most samples (90%) were identified at the level of species or a group of closely related species. Sporological and molecular identification were consistent at the level of species or genus for 30% of analyzed samples. CONCLUSION: Molecular analysis identified a larger number of species than sporological method. It proved to be suitable for analysis of evidential material (dried hallucinogenic mushrooms) in forensic genetic laboratories as well as to complement classical methods in the analysis of clinical material.

Fungal root endophyte associations of plants endemic to the Pamir Alay Mountains of Central Asia.

The fungal root endophyte associations of 16 species from 12 families of plants endemic to the Pamir Alay Mountains of Central Asia are presented. The plants and soil samples were collected in Zeravshan and Hissar ranges within the central Pamir Alay mountain system. Colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) was found in 15 plant species; in 8 species it was of the Arum type and in 4 of the Paris type, while 3 taxa revealed intermediate arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) morphology. AMF colonization was found to be absent only in Matthiola integrifolia, the representative of the Brassicaceae family. The AM status and morphology are reported for the first time for all the species analyzed and for the genera Asyneuma, Clementsia, and Eremostachys. Mycelia of dark septate endophytes (DSE) accompanied the AMF colonization in ten plant species. The frequency of DSE occurrence in the roots was low in all the plants, with the exception of Spiraea baldschuanica. However, in the case of both low and higher occurrence, the percentage of DSE root colonization was low. Moreover, the sporangia of Olpidium spp. were sporadically found inside the root epidermal cells of three plant species. Seven AMF species (Glomeromycota) found in the trap cultures established with soils surrounding roots of the plants being studied were reported for the first time from this region of Asia. Our results provide information that might well be of use to the conservation and restoration programmes of these valuable plant species. The potential application of beneficial root-inhabiting fungi in active plant protection projects of rare, endemic and endangered plants is discussed.

Rediscovery of Alnicola cholea (Cortinariaceae): taxonomic revision and description of its mycorrhiza with Polygonum viviparum (Polygonaceae).

Alnicola cholea, a little-known species so far reported only from the two original localities in the French Alps, is redefined here based on revision of herbarium materials and studies of recent field collections. A detailed morphological and anatomical description of fruit bodies of Alnicola cholea, including a discussion on its taxonomic status and distribution data is provided. Due to the unique combination of characters of Alnicola cholea within the genus, a new monospecific section is introduced for this species: Alnicola sect. Cholea, sect. nov. Mycorrhizal symbiosis of A. cholea with an arcticalpine plant Polygonum viviparum was observed in the Tatra Mountains (Poland). A description of these mycorrhizae is given, providing first detailed data on an identified herbaceous plant mycorrhiza.