Nearly 100 volunteers fanned out over Rocky Mountain National Park this past weekend, collecting samples for the first ever Park mycoblitz. Close to 1,000 mushrooms were collected in the mycoblitz organized by the Colorado Mycological Society and the Park. A mycoblitz is a quick, intense survey of the fungal species present. Teams from the Colorado Mycological Society collected samples from along planned routes. Identification of the samples involved sorting them into major groups, and identification of the most common and easily recognized species. This was followed by more careful scrutiny of difficult specimens using microscopes and reference books. Of the nearly 1,000 mushrooms collected and brought in for identification, about 300 were retained for permanent voucher specimens. It is estimated there are 160 individual species. Half of those will be stored in the Denver Botanical Garden herbarium and half will be stored in the Park’s herbarium. The Aug. 23 and 24 biodiversity study was designed to sample fungi from habitats throughout the Park, with the end result being a useful database for Park managers while making basic knowledge of the region’s fungi publicly accessible. Rocky Mountain National Park is typical of many national parks. It has a comprehensive inventory of its animals and flowering plants, but little knowledge of its fungal biota. The survey addressed this need. Fungi are important components of the Park’s environment. They are the primary recyclers of wood and other lignified plant material; they are typically the most abundant and important group of plant pathogens; they form mutualistic interactions (i.e., mycorrhizae) with most plants; they are crucial components in soil food webs; they associate with insects in a huge diversity of symbiotic interactions. Collecting of fungi, and other items from the Park is not allowed without a research permit. Mushroom collecting for personal consumption is not allowed within the Park. http://www.eptrail.com/news/2008/aug/27/scientific/
