Extract from J George, 'Lundy Studies' (2007). Copyright Lundy Field Society and the authors. Content may be (re)used for non-profit purposes provided source is acknowledged. THE MACROFUNGI OF LUNDY by JOHN N. HEDGER,1 J. DAVID GEORGE,2 GARETH W. GRIFFITH3 and LEWIS DEACON4 1 School of Biosciences, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London, W1M 8JS 2 Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD 3 Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, SY23 3DD 4 National Soil Resources Institute, School of Applied Sciences, Cranfield University, Cranfield, MK43 0AL 1 Corresponding author, e-mail:
[email protected] ABSTRACT The chapter reviews the biodiversity and ecology of fungi on Lundy island, the chief focus being on the ‘mushrooms and toadstools’ or macrofungi, but some of the microfungi, especially plant pathogens, are included. The information used in the paper is derived from records published in the Annual Report of the Lundy Field Society from 1970 onwards, together with the results of brief surveys carried out by the authors between 2003-06. It is concluded that, although Lundy is, predictably, depauperate in species of fungi associated with woodland, the high diversity of fungi characteristic of unimproved grassland and heathland indicates that Lundy may be a site of national and even international importance. Suggestions are made for further work to confirm this status and for management strategies to maintain it. Keywords: Lundy, fungi, ecology, biodiversity INTRODUCTION The History of Fungi on Lundy The annual crop of edible macrofungi must have always been a welcome addition to the limited diet of the Lundy island community since its settlement by man.