BIODIVERSITY INVENTORY SSUURRVVEEYY OOFF FFUUNNGGII IINN TTHHEE SSOOUUTTHH CCOOAASSTT NNAATTUURRAALL RREESSOOUURRCCEE MMAANNAAGGEEMMEENNTT RREEGGIIOONN 22000066--22000077 Katrina Syme 1874 South Coast Hwy Denmark WA 6333 [email protected] Survey of Fungi in the South Coast NRM Region 2006-7 Final Report 2 Biodiversity Inventory Survey of Fungi in the South Coast Natural Resource Management Region of Western Australia, 2006-2007 Contents 1 Summary ................................................................................................................................. 1 2 Background.............................................................................................................................. 3 2.1 Region............................................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Project and objectives ....................................................................................................... 4 2.3 Current knowledge of fungi and challenges in gaining knowledge................................... 5 3 Methodology ............................................................................................................................ 6 3.1 Survey locations................................................................................................................6 3.2 Preparation and identification.......................................................................................... 12 3.3 Data analysis...................................................................................................................13 3.4 Collaboration and assistance with identification ............................................................. 13 Assistance received................................................................................................................... 13 Information, data or material provided....................................................................................... 14 3.5 Factors affecting survey outcomes ................................................................................. 15 4 Results................................................................................................................................... 16 4.1 Summary of data............................................................................................................. 16 All records.................................................................................................................................. 16 Frequency of occurrence........................................................................................................... 16 4.2 Occurrence of fungi on soil type, in vegetation type or associated vegetation............... 18 4.3 Survey efforts in the South Coast NRM Region prior to 2004 ........................................ 19 4.4 Records in each of the six subregions ............................................................................ 19 4.5 Geographic range of identifiable species........................................................................ 20 4.6 New species identified .................................................................................................... 21 5 Discussion and Recommendations ....................................................................................... 23 5.1 Discussion....................................................................................................................... 23 5.2 Recommendations .......................................................................................................... 23 6 References & Bibliography .................................................................................................... 25 7 Acknowledgements................................................................................................................27 8 Appendices ............................................................................................................................ 27 This report has been prepared for South Coast Natural Resource Management Inc. and the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC Albany). The report should be cited as: Syme, K. (2008) Fungi Survey of the South Coast Natural Resource Management Region, 2006-7. Department of Environment and Conservation, Albany. In undertaking this work, the author has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the report. Any conclusions or recommendations made in the report are made in good faith and the consultant takes no responsibility for how this information is used subsequently by others. Cover page: Auriscalpium barbatum Survey of Fungi in the South Coast NRM Region 2006-7 Final Report 3 Survey of Fungi in the South Coast NRM Region 2006-7 Final Report 4 1 Summary Effective conservation and management depends greatly on our understanding of biodiversity. Our current knowledge of the South Coast’s biodiversity is focussed on vertebrate fauna and vascular flora, with little known about other components such as fungi, despite being one of the most diverse groups of organisms globally. This survey of fungi in the South Coast region of southern Western Australia was undertaken as part of the Biodiversity Inventory Program under the direction of South Coast Natural Resource Management Inc. Due to the lack of knowledge of fungi in the region and the forecast dry weather conditions, this survey was conducted opportunistically following rainfall in targeted areas of undisturbed bush, including Nature Reserves, National Parks, Crown Land and Land for Wildlife Properties. This fungi survey was conducted during the fungi fruiting seasons over two years. Severe drought conditions in the first year, 2006, precluded surveys in the targeted areas in the north and north- eastern parts of the Region. In the subsequent year (2007), rainfall was still below average in most of the Region - particularly the woodlands and mallee in the wheat belt and pastoral areas. However, excellent results were achieved by surveying opportunistically in both years. In 2006, fungi were recorded on 43 days and collected from as far afield as Cape Le Grand National Park in the east, Truslove Nature Reserve in the north-east; Ravensthorpe, Hopetoun and Fitzgerald River National Park in the centre of the Region; West Cape Howe and William Bay National Parks in the west and from Wamballup and Warrinup Nature Reserves in the Kent- Frankland Subregion to the north-west. In 2007, fungi were recorded on 45 days; with (as in the previous year) some records being made whilst on private outings. The focus of surveys was the centre of the region, particularly the biodiversity-rich Stirling Range National Park and State and Private Conservation Reserves north-west of Fitzgerald River National Park. The Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve was also included. Overall, 2,521 sighting records of fungi were databased – 1,302 in the first season and 1,219 in 2007. From these, 632 fully documented collections were dried and packaged for microscopic examination. Many have already been lodged in the Western Australian Herbarium. Among the collections made from the Region in 2006 and 2007, 175 could be matched to known species with formal names and a further 447 were recognised as being distinctive and were given informal names. Analysis of fungi data was made on these 622 distinguishable taxa. Identification to genus and species often required both comprehensive field notes and extensive microscopic examination. There had not been enough time to complete microscopy on all the fungi collections made in the first year and although more time was allocated the next year, work on recording micro-characters still remained to be done at the end of 2007. The detailed field notes made for each collection will facilitate taxonomic treatments on the collections. To date, one new species, Porpoloma griseum ms (May & Syme) is at manuscript stage and a number of other undescribed species have been set aside for detailed taxonomic treatment. Interesting finds include Auriscalpium barbatum (cover page), previously only known in the Region from the type collection made by Roger Hilton near West Mt Barren in the 1970’s and Lyophyllum sp. (Fig. 1) found at Two Peoples Bay and Culham Inlet, west of Hopetoun. The ‘wax-cap’ fungus Hygrocybe watagensis (Fig. 2), found on private property near Denmark in 2006, was otherwise only known from the type collection made in 1987 in the Watagan State Forest, eastern New South Wales. An increased range was also recorded for Dermocybe sp. ‘pink’ (Fig. 3) an undescribed species found for the first time in 2006 on private property north- east of Ravensthorpe and then in 2007 at Camel Lake Nature Reserve north of the Stirling Range. During the joint scientific expedition to Cape Knob Peninsula late in the second year, the western-most occurrence of Lycoperdon stellatum (Figs. 4 & 5) and the eastern-most location of Amanita flaviphylla (Fig. 6) were recorded and the first collection (identified to date) made of the genus Rhodocybe (Fig. 7). Survey of Fungi in the South Coast NRM Region 2006-7 Final Report 1 Truffle-like fungi were not searched for specifically (surveys for them are of necessity more time- consuming and invasive), but the discovery of them across the region is testament to the former presence of now endangered – or extinct – mycophagous marsupials. Among the 38 truffle species identified, an increased range is indicated for Torrendia inculta, found