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Seventeen Unrecorded Species from Gayasan National Park in Korea

Summary

This research documented 17 previously unknown species of fungi in South Korea’s Gayasan National Park. The discovery highlights how much biodiversity remains to be discovered even in well-studied areas. Understanding fungal diversity is crucial because these organisms play vital roles in forest health and ecosystem function. Impacts on everyday life: • Helps protect forest ecosystems by better understanding their fungal components • Contributes to the discovery of potentially useful fungi for medicine or industry • Improves our ability to monitor forest health and environmental changes • Aids in conservation efforts by documenting biodiversity • Advances our understanding of natural decomposition processes in forests

Background

Macrofungi play important roles in forest ecology as wood decayers, symbionts, and pathogens of living trees. They contribute to nutrient cycles, wood decomposition, and plant survival through mycorrhizal relationships. Understanding macrofungal diversity is crucial for effective forest management and conservation.

Objective

To survey and document macrofungal diversity in Gayasan National Park, South Korea, with the aim of discovering new or unrecorded fungal species. This was conducted as part of the National Institute of Biological Resources projects for discovering indigenous fungi in Korea.

Results

The study identified 17 macrofungal species previously unrecorded in Korea: Butyrea japonica, Ceriporia nanlingensis, Coltricia weii, Coltriciella subglobosa, Crepidotus crocophyllus, Cylindrobasidium laeve, Fulvoderma scaurum, Laetiporus cremeiporus, Lentinellus castoreus, Leucogyrophana mollusca, Marasmius insolitus, Nidularia deformis, Phaeophlebiopsis peniophoroides, Phanerochaete angustocystidiata, Phlebiopsis pilatii, Postia coeruleivirens, and Tengioboletus fujianensis. Five genera were reported for the first time in Korea: Butyrea, Fulvoderma, Nidularia, Phaeophlebiopsis, and Tengioboletus.

Conclusion

The discovery of these previously unrecorded species suggests that much fungal diversity in Korea remains to be discovered. Accurate identification of macrofungi requires both molecular analysis with well-curated sequence databases and detailed morphological observation.
  • Published in:Mycobiology,
  • Study Type:Field Survey and Taxonomic Study,
  • Source: 10.1080/12298093.2020.1765719
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