Conference Agenda

In this study we are investigating old standing dead pines also called Kelos. These trees has a unique chemichal profile and can remain standing several hundred years after death. Within residies a fungal community of which, so far little is known. These substrates has been colonized sequencially anually since time of death and we hypothesise that mycelial constituents can still be found originating from these colonizations. Combining dendrochronolgy and NG-sequencing we will be able to tie fungal community structure to substrate age. Will these really old substrates contain species now scarse or even lost in the post industrial landscape? Is it possible that Kelos are a sanctuary from which rare species may yet emerge. On ECCB we will present the first dataset in this new research project.

In the face of mass extinction, wood-decay fungi is one group of species under serious threat. Since the normal ways (protection of forest areas and leaving dead wood in managed forests) do not seem to help all of these critical species alone, we need complementary methods to save them. Inoculation and translocation of native fungi is still a rare, but very interesting approach to develop as a method for the conservation of threatened fungi, especially in areas where other methods do not seem to be efficient enough.

Thus, my research investigates novel approaches to the cultivation and reintroduction of rare and endangered fungi both in laboratory phases and on logs, ex situ. The lack of established methods is one reason why fungi are greatly underrepresented in conservation, despite being key organisms in a healthy ecosystem. In this talk I will discuss various tested cultivation techniques and the process of inoculating threatened fungi on dead pines, spruces, aspens, and willows in eight forest areas in Finland and Sweden. I will further provide context around the appropriateness of choosing such an approach.

SPUN is a scientific research organization that maps mycorrhizal fungal communities and advocates for their protection. Mycorrhizal networks regulate the Earth’s climate and ecosystems, yet they are not considered in current conservation and climate agendas. SPUN aims to change this by working with local communities and global researchers to create open-source maps of the planet’s fungal networks. We use large datasets and machine learning models to predict where there are hotspots of mycorrhizal diversity, and where they are most at risk. We aim to track the responses of mycorrhizal communities to climate change, and understand their contributions to biodiversity and ecosystem functions so that mycorrhizal fungi can be considered in restoration and conservation decisions.

Gardens are an important way for many people to connect with nature even though modern gardens often are mostly far from a natural habitat.

In the UK an estimated 27 million people enjoy gardening as a hobby and a garden report found that 87% of adults with a garden want to attract more wildlife into their garden.

In the USA alone there are an estimated 16-20 million hectares of lawn . Maintaining those yards consumes nearly 11 trillion liters of water, 2,6 million kilograms of pesticides and 11 billion liters of gasoline annually. In rural communities in the global north, gardens are often the only green corridors between fragmented natural spaces, making gardens an important landscape for wildlife. Fungi play a major role in the health of a garden and its biodiversity but traditionally, fungi have often only been seen as a pest and issue for gardeners. An increased interest for fungi in the mainstream and a better understanding of the public about biodiversity offers a chance to invite fungi into gardens. This presentation will give an overview on the best ways to implement fungi into gardens and to increase the overall biodiversity and resilience of gardens.