Timber transported to Antarctica : a potential and undesirable carrier for alien fungi and insects

Antarctica's severe climate and its geographical isolation are the factors that hinder the arrival of non-native species by natural means. However, the movement of people and cargo associated with national scientific programs and tourism render Antarctica much more accessible to exotic organisms. Both the transport routes and carriers are varied. The wide range of uses to which timber is put means that it is readily freighted to Antarctic stations. However, it can harbor numerous alien organisms. All the timber materials transported to the "Arctowski" station for the 32nd Polish Antarctic Expedition in the 2007/2008 season were scanned as a potential vector for alien species. This study focuses on the non-lichenized fungi and insects which were found on the timber. Four species of perithecia-forming Ascomycota, five species of corticioid and polyporoid Basidiomycota, four unidentified basidiomycetes taxa in form of sterile mycelia, and two insects belonging to Cerambycidae, were detected. Most of these "hitch-hikers" were connected with the untreated parts of the timber. Their enduring survival in harsh Antarctic conditions is regarded as highly improbable. Nevertheless, some ascocarps frequently contained vital spores, and live insect larvae and imago were found in hibernation. The results also emphasize that such organisms can be accidentally transported to Antarctica and that the elementary rules for the eventual safe transport of non-infected goods should be obeyed and respected

The fungal collection of the Jagiellonian University Herbarium (KRA), Kraków, Poland

The paper presents a short history of the mycological collection of the Jagiellonian University Herbarium (KRA, Kraków, Poland). The Herbarium holds over 22,000 specimens, including some interesting European and extra-European fungal exsiccata. One of the most valuable fungal collections (including many type specimens) in the Herbarium is that containing Javanese fungi gathered by Marian Raciborski at the end of 19^{th} century

New sporocarpic taxa in the phylum Glomeromycota : Sclerocarpum amazonicum gen. et sp. nov. in the family Glomeraceae (Glomerales) and Diversispora sporocarpia sp. nov. in the Diversisporaceae (Diversisporales)

Of the nearly 300 species of the phylum Glomeromycota comprising arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), only 24 were originally described to form glomoid spores in unorganized sporocarps with a peridium and a gleba, in which the spores are distributed randomly. However, the natural (molecular) phylogeny of most of these species remains unknown. We found unorganized sporocarps of two fungi-producing glomoid spores: one in the Amazonian forest in Brazil (tropical forest) and the second in a forest of Poland (temperate forest). The unique spore morphology of the two fungi suggested that they are undescribed species. Subsequent phylogenetic analyses of sequences of the small subunit–internal transcribed spacer–large subunit nrDNA region and the RPB1 gene confirmed this assumption and placed the Brazilian fungus in a separate clade at the rank of genus, very strongly divergent from its sister clade representing the genus Glomus sensu stricto in the family Glomeraceae (order Glomerales). The Polish fungus was accommodated in a sister clade to a clade grouping sequences of Diversispora epigaea, a fungus that also occasionally produces spores in sporocarps, belonging in the Diversisporaceae (Diversisporales). Consequently, the Brazilian fungus was here described as the new genus and new species Sclerocarpum gen. nov. and S. amazonicum sp. nov., respectively. The Polish fungus was described as D. sporocarpia sp. nov. In addition, the supposed reasons for the low representation of sporocarpic species in the Glomeromycota were discussed and the known distribution of sporocarp-producing Glomeromycota was outlined. © 2019, The Author(s)

Metal content in fruit-bodies and mycorrhizas of Pisolithus arrhizus from zinc wastes in Poland

Pisoliihus arrhizus has been selected for investigation as one of the ectomycorrhizal species most resistant to stress factors. Metal content in fruit-bodies and mycorrhizas was estimated to evaluate their role as bioindicators and to check whether mycorrhizas have any special properties for heavy metal accumulation. Fruit-bodies and mycorrhizas were collected from zinc wastes in Katowice-Wehoswicc and analyzed using conventional atomic absorption spectroscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy accompanying scanning electron microscopy. Differences in tendencies to accumulate metals within sporophorea and mycorrhizas were found.. The fruR-bodies accumulated Al (up to 640 pgg*'l, while high concentrations of Al, Zn, Fe. Ca and Si were noted in the outer mantle of the mycorrhizas, in the material secreted and in the mycelium wall. The content of elements varied depending on the age of mycorrhizas. The ability of extramatrieal mycelium and hyphae forming mycorrhizal mantle to immobilize potentially toxic el emenis might indicate biofiltering properties though the next step should include investigations on ability of the fungus to prevent element uptake by the plant

Octaviania asterosperma (hypogeous Basidiomycota). Recent data to ecology and distribution

Phylogenetic analyses place Octaviania asterosperma in the Boletales, with Leccinum being the closest relative. Results of the structural investigation of O. asterosperma ectomycorrhiza with Fagus sylvatica confirm this systematic position. In Europe the species is an ectomycorrhizal partner of broad-leaved trees, such as Carpinus, Corylus, Fagus, Quercus and Tilia. This paper aims at presenting the new data to the distribution of O. asterosperma in Central Europe. The description of the basidiocarps discovered in Poland in the recent years is also given, together with evidence for the parasitic relationship of Sepedonium laevigatum with O. asterosperma. We also present the information concerning all known localities of the species in Poland and its distribution map. Data on the ecologz, distribution and status O. asterosperma in Europe, and some structural aspects of basidiocarps and spores, are also summarized

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 sequences 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 materia

New localities of Chamonixia caespitosa (hypogeous Boletaceae) in Central Europe

Chamonixia caespitosa Rolland, has been recently found in Poland for the first time after 1945. The basidiocarps, partially exposed from the humus layer, were found in two localities: in the spruce forest in the Polish Tatra Mts., at the elevation of 1540 m a.s.l., and in the mixed forest with spruce and fir in the Beskid Niski Mts. at the elevation of app. 400 m a.s.l. The description of the Polish specimens generally agrees with descriptions of the specimens found in other Central European countries. The roundish to tuberculate basidiocarps were characterized by the presence of highly reduced stipe, whitish colour of the peridium changing rapidly to blue after exposure to air, small, complete or incomplete columella and brown, spongy gleba. Typically 4-spored basidia were present which produced ellipsoid, brown spores with the ornamentation in the form of rough, interconnected ridges. Taxonomic position, ecology and chorology of the species, the ontogeny of basidiocarps and description of ectomycorrhizae are summarized in the paper