, Pioneer Genus in The Flaw of Reiterating It’s been stated that many authors are likely reiterating the claims of previous Forensic authors, not exactly knowing who Danny Haelewaters actually was the one seeing it firsthand. This makes me think of Andre Vltchek’s Harvard University Herbaria, Farlow Herbarium (2013) article Harare: Is It Really the Worst Email: [email protected] City on Earth? which reveals similar few years ago, it must have still being described and the interest in findings at the journalistic level. been 2009, I was part of the Hebeloma remains, as the may Surveys by The Economist and others Netherlands Forensic Institute, provide unbiased scientific evidence for relentlessly portrayed Zimbabwe’s capital inA particular of the Line Department use in the court of law, and in criminal city Harare as the 4th worst city in the Microtraces (Non Human Biological investigation and trial. world. Most of us wouldn’t even think of Traces). This experience has had great questioning this quote. But Vltchek did. impact on my evolution as a scientist. Findings on Animal Remains He decided to visit Harare and found Likewise, I’ve become more than Hebeloma vinosophyllum Hongo was that it is a great, literary city to live in, moderately interested in forensics – the described as an agaric species without unexpectedly falling in love with this study of evidence discovered at a crime any specific ecological requirements, so-called worst city on Earth. Facts and scene and used in a court of law. Forensic but, indeed, it does have a preference data about Zimbabwe are developed science is a multidisciplinary field, for dead (mammalian) carcasses. In “somewhere in the cloud” to serve Western considering the full range of botanical, 1968, a bunch of fruiting bodies of H. media. Afterwards it is recycled over and zoological, and inorganic evidence vinosophyllum was found in Kyoto over again, never updated, often with (Mildenhall et al., 2006). This article (Sagara, 1976). Close examination of the colorful words thrown in to reinforce the deals with some aspects of forensic soil showed that the remains of a dog statements. “It’s those bloody journalists mycology, a very specific sub-discipline of constituted the source of nitrogen. In again,” I hear you, but why then do we see forensics, involving the genus Hebeloma 1975, again, a single fruiting body of the suggestions in scientific papers that are and its possible applications. same species was found near the Kyoto only partially or not at all true? Introduction Hebeloma (Fr.) Kumm. is a genus courtesy M. Wood. of ectomycorrhizal fungi in the Strophariaceae (: ) consisting of, mostly, pioneer species – they occur as the first of sequential successive steps – while a few other species decompose animal wastes. Species delineation is traditionally based upon morphological characters. The different species inHebeloma , however, are neither distinctive nor colorful (Arora, 1986). David Arora, in his Mushrooms demystified(1986), refers to Hebeloma as “[…] yet another faceless and featureless collection of brownish mushrooms.” Species identification, even for specialists in the field, is difficult and the different species concepts and infrageneric classifications are controversial. And pretty confusing, too. Depending on the author, sections, subsections, or even stirps exist to “solve” the genus (Aanen et al., 2000). Attempts have been made to clarify phylogenetic relationships within the genus, although these approaches were restricted to specific sections (Eberhardt et al., 2013) or contained many unresolved or unsupported branches (Aanen et al., 2000). Yet, species are

FUNGI Volume 6:3 Fall 2013 47 University campus, upon soil in which cat When it dies, these high-quality nutrients References Cited bones were found in the top 20 cm layer become available for other organisms. Aanen, D.K., T.W. Kuyper, T. Boekhout, (Sagara, 1976). The year after, at the same The remains offer a temporary living for and R.F. Hoekstra. 2000. Phylogenetic spot, more fruiting bodies appeared. many invertebrates. The remains of an relationships in the genus Hebeloma Maybe the forest tree type was more animal undergo quick and considerable based on ITS1 and 2 sequences, with influential than the animal remains? changes. This “rotting” takes place in a special emphasis on the Hebeloma Well, no. The first collection ofH. few stages – fresh stage, bloat stage, early crustuliniforme complex. Mycologia vinosophyllum was found in a stand decomposition, late decomposition, and 92(20): 269-281. of angiosperm Castanopsis cuspidata dry stage. The bacterial decomposition Arora, D. 1986. Mushrooms Demystified: (Fagaceae); the second in an area would be blocked after a while if the A Comprehensive Guide to the Fleshy dominated by gymnosperm Pinus decomposition products were not Fungi, 2nd edition. Ten Speed Press densiflora. removed. Here’s where the fungi become Berkeley (CA). Also in 1998 fruiting bodies of H. important in this storyline (Sagara, 1995); Bunyard, B.A. 2004. Commentary on: vinosophyllum were observed in close both the associated fungi and the plants Taphonomic mycota: fungi with association with a skull and bones, this (in the form of ectomycorrhizae) can forensic potential. Journal of Forensic time originating from a jungle crow absorb these products of decomposition. Sciences 49(5): 1134. (Corvus macrorhynchos) in Urawa This results in the translocation of the Carter, D.O., and M. Tibbett. 2003. (Saitama City, Japan) (Fukiharu et al., absorbed waste material above the Taphonomic mycota: fungi with 2000) – the first and so far only case ground – by the fruiting of the fungi as forensic potential. Journal of Forensic with birds. well as in the growth of the plants. This Sciences 48(1): 168-171. So far it is unclear whether or not the tripartite association is referred to as a Carter, D.O., D. Yellowlees, and M. closely related Hebeloma sarcophyllum cleaning symbiosis. Tibbett. 2007. Cadaver decomposition Peck, occurring in Europe, North in terrestrial ecosystems. Africa, and North America, has the Thus? Naturwissenschaften 84: 12-14. same ecological tendencies. Also other Is there a forensic potential for Fukiharu, T., G. Yokoyama, and T. Hebeloma species, like the eastern North Hebeloma species? Sure. Then can we Oba. 2000. Occurrence of Hebeloma American and European H. syrjense, start using it in crime investigation? Not vinosophyllum on the forest ground Japanese and European H. radicosum, and yet. We don’t know how trustworthy after decomposition of crow carcass. Australian H. animophilum are known the findings are as to forensic cases. Mycoscience 41: 401-402. to grow in association with rotting / Different authors have stated that more Eberhardt, U., H.J. Beker, J. Vesterholt, decomposing animal remains (Carter research is needed to develop fungi K. Dukik, G. Walther, J. Vila, and and Tibbett, 2003). Hebeloma syrjense is into suitable forensic tools (Carter and S.F. Brime. 2013. European species often referred to as the “corpse finder,” yet Tibbett, 2003; Bunyard, 2004). of Hebeloma section Theobromina. may turn out to be synonymous with H. For example, it is important to Fungal Diversity 58: 103-126. radicosum (Bunyard, 2004). understand that fungi do not grow upon buried cadavers, but rather on the Mildenhall, D.C., P.E.J. Wiltshire, and Cleaning Symbiosis subsequent release of nitrogen during V.M. Bryant. 2006. Forensic The carrion-associated fungi that fruit the cadaver’s decomposition (in the palynology: why do it and how it at later stages of the succession process microclimatic patch, which is called works. Forensic Science International after decomposition include many the cadaver decomposition island, cDI) 163: 163-172. ectomycorrhizal species. A number of (carter and Tibbett, 2003; Carter et Sagara, N. 1976. Presence of a buried Hebeloma species and Laccaria bicolor al., 2007). How this relates to carcass mammalian carcass indicated by fungal have been demonstrated to produce decomposition is unclear, though. How fruiting bodies. Nature 262(5571): 816. fruiting bodies in animal waste sites by much nitrogen is released? Under what Sagara, N. 1995. Association of forming ectomycorrhizae; specimens form is nitrogen released (simple organic ectomycorrhizal fungi with originated in plots that allowed plant nitrogen, ammonium, nitrate)? These decomposed animal wastes in forest root development while plots with approximations are needed in order to habitats: a cleaning symbiosis? blocked colonization by roots did not make accurate estimations of the post- Canadian Journal of Botany 73(Suppl. result in fruiting bodies. (Laccaria burial interval (PBI). 1): S1423-S1433. species do not seem to be specific to As a final point of discussion, Van Wielink, P. 2004. Carrion in De animal remains as they originate in any experimental settings should be Kaaistoep: the natural succession of “disturbed” site.) taken into account – temperature, beetles and other insects in a fox and We know some other tripartite humidity, oxygen availability, and soil a roe deer. Entomologische Berichten relationships between fungi, plants characteristics – as these can influence 64(2): 34-50. and animals. The difference is that the the rate of decomposition. Also the Vltchek, A. 2013. Harare: is it really the associated animals in this case cannot carcass species (body composition, fat worst city on Earth? Counterpunch, disperse fungal spores. Then why do ratio, muscle mass) and size will have March 15-17, 2013. Available at: http:// these associations exist? effects on decomposition rate as well as www.counterpunch.org/2013/03/15/ An animal consists for the greater part carcass-associated species composition harare-is-it-really-the-worst-city-on- of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. and succession (van Wielink, 2004). earth/.

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