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Newsletter of the Mycological Society of America Supplement to Mycologia Vol. 67(5) September 2016 Newsletter of the Mycological Society of America — In This Issue — Hypogeous Fungus Foray in Australia Articles Hypogeous Fungus Foray in Australia As part of an effort started in the 1980’s by Dr. Jim Myxomycete Event in GSMNP Trappe to survey the truffle diversity of Australia, we held the first annual Barrington Tops Hypogeous Fungus Foray MSA Awards June 28th to July 1st. About 20 enthusiastic truffle collectors MSA Business from New South Wales and Queensland joined us at beauti- Executive Vice President’s Report ful Wangat Lodge just outside of Barrington Tops National Park (Fig. 1). Barrington Tops National Park is a World Her- Mycological News itage-listed site. MASMC 2017 in Raleigh, NC We collected some in Eucalyptus spp. stands, but the MSA Student Section focus for this trip was to sample truffle diversity in the mon- Student Spotlight: Klara Scharnagl odominant ectomycorrhizal Antarctic Beech (Nothofagus MSA Student Section logo moorei) forest. The genus Nothofagus (Nothofagaceae) occurs at high elevations in mainland Australia and down to Fungi in the News lower elevation in Tasmania, in southern South America, Lichen yeast New Zealand, New Guinea, and New Caledonia. Earlier pop- Fungal secretomes Spooky new turfgrass disease ulations in Antarctica went extinct when the planet cooled after the Late Cretaceous (Heads 2006). The Gondwana dis- Mycologist’s Bookshelf tribution of this tree genus leads to interesting biogeographi- Plant-parasitic microfungi cal questions about the distribution of associated ectomycor- Books in need of reviewers rhizal fungal species, particularly truffles. We also sample Mycological Classifieds scats to evaluate mycophagy by animals in this system to bet- Fifth Kingdom, The Outer Spores ter understand how they might impact truffle dispersal. Biological control, biotechnology, Armed with truffle rakes, the group braved frosty morn- and regulatory services ings and terrestrial leeches to see what fungal treasures could be raked up in the forest. We selected sites with Mycology On-Line healthy old growth stands of Antarctic Beech and also col- Calendar of Events Sustaining Members lected at a couple lower elevation habitats where Eucalyptus and tropical hardwood species mixed. These lower elevation sites proved less productive for truffle diversity than the higher elevation forests. We collected scats from Superb Lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae), Red-necked Pademelon (Thylogale thetis) – a type of forest wallaby, and the Southern Bobuck (Trichosurus cunninghami) – a rain- forest possum for later microscopic examinations to study their mycophagous behavior in this ecosystem. A few wet preparations made in the field and examined microscopi- cally showed us that both mammals were eating a diverse Editor — Julia Kerrigan range of truffles. However, detailed examination of these Dept. of Plant and Environmental Sciences samples and a full catalogue of the truffles spores they con- Clemson University tain must wait until we can process them in the lab. Clemson, SC 29634-0310 The Antarctic Beech stands exhibited substantial soil 864-656-2640 disturbance caused by the Superb Lyrebird who had [email protected] Continued on following page Fig. 1. Back Row (L–R): Todd Elliott, Heidi Prichard, Jim O’Sullivan, Karl Vernes, Aileen Francis, Susie Webster, Kaylene Bransgrove. Front Row (L–R): Erin Jacobi-McCathy, Nikki Bennetts, Maree Elliott, Jeanette Rogers, Noe- line Karlson, Michael Priest, Alison Webb, Penny Pinkess, Jim Trappe, Megan Prance, Susan Nuske. Kneeling (L– R): Pam O’Sullivan and Ken Rubeli. scratched up a significant portion of the area, but plenty made possible by support from the Marshall family of of truffles remained for collecting. Over the two and a Terra Preta Truffles and Dr. Tim Roberts of the Tom half days of truffling we made 27 collections of approx- Farrell Institute for the Environment at the University imately 15 genera (Fig. 3). One or two collections of Newcastle, just east of the park. We are grateful for likely represent currently undescribed truffle genera as the hospitality of Wangat Lodge and its hospitable pro- well as several undescribed species. Considering the prietor, Ken Rubeli, and for all the wonderful trufflers diversity that has been found in similar systems in other (Fig. 1) who helped collect the samples and provided parts of Australia we suspect that our survey may have such fine company and conversations. been in the later part of the fruiting season. REFERENCES The most commonly encountered genus was Descomyces (Bolbitiaceae). We frequently found that Heads, M. (2006). Panbiogeography of Nothofagus Descomyces were being eaten by an attractive lilac col- (Nothofagaceae): analysis of the main species mass- ored springtail possibly in the genus Brachystomella ings. Journal of Biogeography, 33(6), 1066-1075. (order Poduromorpha), but we did not observe them —Todd F. Elliott eating other fungi or truffles (Fig. 4). It seems likely Department of Integrative Studies Warren Wilson College Asheville, North Carolina that these small invertebrates play a role in dispersing —Karl Vernes the spores of this group of common mycorrhizal truf- Ecosystem Management fles throughout this system. University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Evenings activities at the foray included processing Australia —Jim Trappe collections, listening to talks on Australian truffles, and Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society enjoying Appalachian fiddle music. This foray was Oregon State University, Corvallis 2 Inoculum 67(5), September 2016 Fig. 2. (L–R): Todd Elliott, Pam O’Sullivan, Jim O’Sullivan, Erin Jacobi-McCathy, Jim Trappe, and Heidi Prichard rake for truffles in monodominant Antarctic Beech forest. Fig. 4. Lilac colored springtails possibly in the genus Brachystomella (order Poduromorpha) feeding on a freshly unearthed Descomyces sp. Fig. 3. Representatives of eleven truffle genera we collected dur- ing the expedition: a. Basidiomycete gen. nov.; b. Hysterangium sp.; c. Hydnangium sp.; d. Mesophellia sp.; e. Arcangeliella sp.; f. Descomyces sp.; g. Russula sp.; h. Rossbeevera sp.; i. Stephanospora sp.; j. Pogisperma gen. pov.; k. Scleroderma den- sum nom. prov. Inoculum 67(5), September 2016 3 MSA AWARDS 2016 MycologIcAl SocIETy DISTINcTIoNS Distinguished Mycologist Award: Donald T. Wicklow The Distinguished Mycologist Research and Development Corpora- Award is one of the highest awards tion (1990-2002), Eli Lilly (1999- bestowed by the MSA, and it is 2001), and the National Institutes of designed to recognize individuals Health (2004-2008). Dr. Wicklow that have a truly distinguished was the first to demonstrate the role career in the field of mycology in of the fungal sclerotium in terms of either research or service. Aspergillus flavus disease cycle; sap beetle vectoring of A. flavus to corn; Dr. Donald T. Wicklow sclerotial chemical defenses targeted received a M.A. in Biology from San against insect fungivores; novel anti- Francisco State College in 1964, fol- fungal metabolites from mycopara- lowed by a Ph.D. in Botany and sites that kill A. flavus sclerotia; Plant Pathology from the University pyrrocidine antibiotics from a pro- of Wisconsin in 1971. He was an tective endophyte of maize; the sig- Assistant Professor at the University nificance of high-evening tempera- of Pittsburgh, PA, from 1970 to ture stress (> 75 F) during kernel 1977, before he transitioned to a filling in aflatoxin outbreaks; seed Microbiology position at the National Center for Agricul- coat tearing among certain elite inbred parents of commer- tural Utilization Research, USDA, in Peoria, IL, a position he cial hybrids is a major factor in aflatoxin susceptibility. Dr. held until his retirement in 2014. Wicklow’s reputation as a mycologist/microbial ecologist is Dr. Wicklow has over 45 years of research experience evidenced by his receiving the C.J. Alexopoulous Prize from and has published over 200 journal articles, 24 book chap- the Mycological Society of America, selection to Fellowship ters, 3 books, 12 patents, and presented 36 invited papers at in the American Academy of Microbiology and to Centenary national/ international meetings on subjects pertaining to Fellowship (Honorary Life Member) in the British Mycolog- fungal ecology, plant pathology and mycotoxins. Some of ical Society. The fungus Wicklowia aquatica was recently this work was supported, in part, through awards from the named in his honor “for outstanding studies of the nature and NSF (1973-1984; 1989-2013), the Competitive Research role of fungal secondary compounds.” Grants Office, USDA (1984-86), the Biotechnology William H. Weston Teaching Award: A. Elizabeth Arnold Awarded annually to an outstanding teacher of mycology at spectacular as her research career. Betsy Arnold’s teaching the undergraduate and/or graduate levels. has made lasting impressions on a tremendous number of high school, undergraduate, and graduate students both at her Dr. A. Elizabeth “Betsy” Arnold received her Ph.D. in home institution but also across the United States and 2002 from The University of Arizona under the supervision abroad. She has been teaching Microbial Diversity solo, of Dr. Lucinda A. McDade. That same year she was awarded which started with less than twenty students and increased to a two-year Postdoctoral Fellowship (2003-2004) in Micro- more than 100 undergraduate students while keeping nearly bial Biology from the National Science Foundation to pursue perfect
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