TERN Symposium 2011

1. Citizen Science – Two fungal groups Fungimap http://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/fungimap_/welcome/ ~200 members Australia wide & started 1996 Queensland Mycological Society http://www.qms.asn.au/index.html ~50 members mainly in SE QLD & started 2005

2. Aims To stimulate and support the study and appreciation of Australian macrofungi; To promote the conservation of Australian macrofungi; To link people with an interest in Australian macrofungi, providing opportunities for sharing and learning; To foster relationships between groups and individuals that share the objectives of Fungimap. Provide a forum and a network for amateur and professional mycologists to hare their common interest in macrofungi; Stimulate and support the study and research of Queensland macrofungi through collection, storage, analysis and dissemination of information about fungi through workshops and fungal forays; Promote, at both state and commonwealth levels, the identification of Queensland’s macrofungal biodiversity through documentation and publication of its macrofungi; And promote the conservation of indigenous macrofungi and their relevant ecosystems.

3. Ecological roles Lichens capture carbon, are habitat for micro-fauna and may indicate declining air quality Decomposer fungi are important for nutrient recycling Food for animals, particularly truffles macropods and hyphae and mushrooms, etc for invertebrates Diseases like rusts, smuts, galls etc have a role in natural selection

4. Ecological roles Mycorrhiza are necessary partners for most terrestrial plants, mycorrhiza are important physical links in the ecosystem diversity is important for ecosystem health and resilience Endophytes are present in most plant tissues, and have a role in disease and herbivory avoidance Fungal hyphaeare important for good soil structure, water retention and nutrient availability often an important component of Biological soil crusts in arid ecosystems

5. Victorian relative biodiversity ©Victorian National Parks Association

6. What do they do? Main activity of Fungimap is the mapping of more than 100 readily recognisable target species Newsletter for members Educational conference every second year around Australia Have meetings, foray’s and workshops Newsletter for members Collects data of most macrofungi during forays across SEQ Shared with members Shared with DERM as part of permit requirements

7. What do they do? Contributes to enhancing the conservation of fungi by making submissions to reviews of biodiversity policy Provide a forum for conservation issues during conferences Contributes to federal, state and local council biodiversity policies by submitting comments and reviews

8. How do they do it? Volunteer and paid staff Good institutional support from RBG Melbourne Office space Some printing & postage Employer facilities Two mycologists on site All Volunteers Some institutional support from the Queensland Herbarium Meeting space Access to fungal collections One part time mycologist

9. What have they done? Fungi Down Under Self published in 2005 through all volunteer work Australian Heritage Commission brought data on 250 named species across Australia Increase targets by 5 species each year Field guide in production with Queensland Museum Collect good macrofungal vouchers for QLD Herbarium Involved in long-term monitoring of 5 sites in SEQ and have other regular sites