EXTENDED CASE STUDY: Fungal surveys of two sites in Nidderdale AONB Peter Duffy, Mid Yorkshire Fungus Group Introduction The Mid Yorkshire Fungus Group (MYFG) visits various sites in Yorkshire for the purposes of finding, identifying and recording fungi. Two in particular, Swinsty Reservoir and Fountains Abbey, have been visited regularly over a period in excess of 10 years. In this extended case study MYFG presents a summary of our fungal finds and records for the two sites in the Nidderdale AONB as a contribution to The Wild Watch Project. Sites Fountains Abbey Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal (FASR) was purchased by the National Trust from North Yorkshire County Council in 1983. The Abbey is one of the most famous and spectacular Cistercian ruins in Europe, and its adjunct, Studley Royal Park, with its exquisite landscaping and water features, is hardly less renowned. The site was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986. MYFG have been visiting Fountains Abbey at least once a year, usually during October, since 2009. We usually meet at the Lakeside car park and enter via the rear gate; we then follow the same route each year, turning left towards the bridge over the lake, crossing the bridge, and then up through the tunnel and along the High Ride. We then make our way back along the lakeside path, and up towards the Banqueting House, and finally back out the way we came. From a mycological point of view, the route offers a wide variety of habitats and substrates, including both coniferous and broadleaf woodland, and (mostly improved) grassland. The High Ride in particular produces a rich crop of different species - although over the last few years, it has not been as fruitful as previously. This may have been due to a number of exceptionally dry summers, and possibly climate change; there also appears to have been some ground and drainage works done in the area, which also may have affected the fungi. The area in front of the Banqueting House also regularly produces interesting finds - one of the most spectacular is the "big blue pinkgill" (Entoloma bloxamii), which is exceptionally rare: we have found this on at least three occasions at this site. 1 Microglossum olivaceum (the "Olive earthtongue") Ossicaulis lignatilis (the "Mealy oyster") Fairy ring of Clitocybe geotropa (the "Trooping funnel") Entoloma bloxamii (the "Big blue pinkgill") Swinsty Reservoir Swinsty is one of the group of several large reservoirs in the Washburn valley which supply the water needs for large areas of Yorkshire. The reservoir is surrounded by woodlands, and a path which enables circular walks around the entire reservoir. The site is extremely large and offers a wide variety of potential habitats for fungi; there are extensive areas of woodland, mostly coniferous, and there are several areas of minimally- improved grassland, which often produce interesting finds. MYFG have been visiting the site since 2008, originally once a year in the autumn; over the last few years, further visits have been introduced at other times of the year. We usually assemble in the car park to the south of the main dam between Fewston reservoir and Swinsty, and then follow a route up through the woods to the south of the car park, making our way anticlockwise towards the bottom dam. We then cross the dam and explore the tree-clustered lawn to the north of Swinsty Cottage (this regularly produces interesting finds, including the uncommon Copper Spike (Chroogomphus rutilus) and the even scarcer and more spectacular Golden Bootleg (Phaeolepiota aurea)). We also explore the area of grassland to the south of the dam - this often produces large fruitings of "waxcaps", including the most photogenic of fungi, the Pink Waxcap or Ballerina (Hygrocybe calyptriformis: this was formerly on the Red Data list, but was found to be somewhat less rare than was feared). We then 2 return across the dam and via the track past Swinsty Hall to the car park. Chroogomphus rutilus (the "Copper spike") Lacrymaria lacrymabunda (the "Weeping widow") Mycena arcangeliana (the "Angels' bonnet") Cordyceps militaris (the "Scarlet caterpillar fungus") 3 Phaeolepiota aurea (the "Golden bootleg") Oudemansiella mucida (the "Porcelain fungus") Hygrocybe calyptriformis (the "Pink waxcap" or "Ballerina") Hygrocybe calyptriformis (the "Pink waxcap" or "Ballerina") Phallus impudicus (the "Stinkhorn"), covered with feeding flies 4 Notes and Caveats The fungal data provided for these two sites (see Annex 2) are summaries of the fungi found, identified and recorded by MYFG members at these sites during visits over several years. They should not be viewed as definitive or exhaustive surveys of all the fungi occurring at these sites. Within the natural sciences, mycology poses problems which are virtually unique. The body of a fungus almost always consists a network of fine threads (mycelium) embedded in the substrate, usually soil or organic matter (either living or dead) and a single sample of mycelium would contain many fungal species, interwoven. It is normally impossible to identify a fungus from the mycelium (except, to some extent, by using DNA techniques). The part of the fungus which emerges from the substrate and becomes visible is the reproductive structure (fruit-body), and it is from this alone that identification has to be attempted (a very rough analogy would be trying to identify a plant solely from its flower and seed, or a bird from its reproductive organs and eggs). In some cases (for example, wood-decomposing fungi) the fruit-bodies can be quite solid and long-lasting, and visible for months or even years. Usually, however, the fruiting structures are fragile and last only a few days at the most. They are easily affected by adverse weather conditions, readily drying out or becoming waterlogged, in which case the texture and colours may vary significantly from good, fresh specimens. Fungi have remarkably sophisticated ways of sensing environmental and weather conditions, and will tend to fruit only when conditions are favourable - so even if a fungus has been recorded as fruiting at a particular spot on a particular date, it may not do so at the same date and time in future, and this may lead to it not being recorded for a particular year. All this makes the task of the mycologist extremely challenging. In a few cases, a fruit-body has enough striking and unique characteristics to allow identification to species with 100% certainty in the field. More usually, a specimen has to be taken home and examined, with the aid of chemical reagents, microscopes and large piles of textbooks - to say nothing of endless reserves of patience and persistence. In the case of difficult genera, it is not unusual to spend several days on a single specimen (and even then, it may not be possible to achieve an identification down to species). (It is well known in mycological circles that a fungus which is classed as rare in the textbooks may actually just be very difficult to identify - or so insignificant that it gets overlooked.) The process by which MYFG identify and record finds is as follows. After a specimen is found, an attempt is made to identify it. In some cases, this may be possible in the field; in most cases, it will be necessary for someone to take the specimen home and work on it (if plenty of material is available, several members may do this, and compare notes later, often via email). Hopefully, an identification will eventually be made (although this is not guaranteed: every foray inevitably produces specimens which can only be identified to genus, or not identified at all). If possible, confirmation of the identification will be sought from another member (or in the case of rare or obscure species, we may consult one of the experts in the British Mycological Society). The genus and species, together with the location, habitat and substrate, and the names of the finder, identifier and confirmer, are then forwarded to the group's recorder, who will then upload records to the national fungal databases. Variations in the number of records for a particular foray should not be taken as indicating that fungi previously recorded are no longer extant. Low record counts may be due to adverse weather conditions, or disturbance of the site. An unusual distribution of records may also relate to the mix of members who turn up on the day. Some of our members specialise in particular groups and types of fungi, so if they participate in a foray, the results are likely to reflect their chosen field. During recent decades, DNA-based research has gradually assumed prominence in mycological research, particularly to separate species within genera which cause problems for conventional identification, because 5 the different species are visually very similar to each other. One unexpected development of this research has been the realisation that some species have been assigned to the "wrong" genus, leading to the species being moved to a new genus and renamed. More information on common species that have been renamed and which may be useful for reviewing the site summaries is included in Annex 1. Conclusions It is difficult to derive any general conclusions or trends from the data presented in this report. Our records for Fountains Abbey and Swinsty reservoir tend to reflect the general distribution of woodland and grassland fungi which might be expected at such sites. Recently, there have been several exceptionally dry summers and autumns, and at the forays at Fountains and Swinsty during those years, it was noted that several fungi previously recorded at the sites did not put in an appearance. However, this could simply mean that the fungi happened not to be fruiting on the dates that we visited the sites - it does not necessarily mean that the underlying organisms had expired.