Conservation of fungi

Fungi are considered to be in urgent need of conservation by the British Mycological Society on the grounds that it is a traditionally neglected taxon which has legal protection in few countries.^[1] Current threats to fungi include destruction of forests worldwide, fragmentation of habitat, changes in land use, pollution, anthropogenic climate change and over-exploitation of commercially attractive species.^[1]

The Species Survival Commission of the IUCN has five specialist groups dealing with the conservation of fungi:^[2]

• Chytrid, Zygomycete, Downy Mildew and Slime Mould Specialist Group
• Cup-fungus, Truffle and Ally Specialist Group
• Lichen Specialist Group
• Mushroom, Bracket and Puffball Specialist Group
• Rust and Smut Specialist Group

Lack of knowledge is considered a major concern with a general paucity of comprehensive checklists, even for developed nations. In addition, the criteria for "red-listing" is not specifically designed for fungi and the kinds of data required, viz. population size, lifespan, spatial distribution and poulation dynamics are poorly known for most fungi. As a result in practice, indicator species are identified as target foci for the conservation of threatened fungi.^[3]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Régis (2 July 2001). "Current trends and perspectives for the global conservation of fungi". In Moore, David. ( British Mycological Society. Symposium). Fungal conservation: issues and solutions : a special volume of the British Mycological Society. Cambridge University Press. pp. 8–9. ISBN 9780521803632. http://books.google.com/books?id=yLg35jpj3j4C&pg=PA9. Retrieved 10 July 2011. 
2. ^ Unattributed (September 17, 2010). "IUCN - Fungi". Species Survival Commission. http://www.iucn.org/about/work/programmes/species/about_ssc/specialist_groups/directory_specialist_groups/fungi/. Retrieved 10 July 2011. 
3. ^ Jacob; Jan (2008). "Conservation:selection criteria and approaches". In Boddy, Lynne; Frankland, Juliet C. & West, Pieter. Ecology of saprotrophic basidiomycetes. British Mycological Society & Academic Press. pp. 325–347. ISBN 9780123741851. http://books.google.com/books?id=3dGf9vUIlCIC&pg=PA325. Retrieved 10 July 2011.