Bryophilous fungi have at least one stage of its life cycle linked to Bryophytes. There are few studies in relation to their taxonomy and ecology all around the world, including Brazil. The Agaricomycetes (Basidiomycota) have gained prominence worldwide and contained several species of economic interest. Based on a bibliographic review and discussion about identification methods and experimental models on this association a species list of bryophilous/Agaricomycetes found in Brazil was elaborated. In the works found among the techniques used to identify effective fungi/Bryophytes associations it can be cited: phylogenetics analysis, optical and electron microscopy, and cultivation experiments. In Brazil, four orders of Agaricomycetes (Basidiomycota), belonging to Agaricales, Boletales, Hymenochaetales, and Polyporales, with 33 species were found associated to Bryophytes in the literature. Information of the worldwide distribution of Brazilian muscicolous species and application of these groups were realized associating edibility, toxicity, and others. It was noted that in this country there is a scarcity of scientific knowledge of this subject, that needs to be better understood in terms of ecology and taxonomy.
Small conservation areas have been created in many countries usually to protect plants and animals, but no priorities are deserved in protecting fungi. The creation of preservation areas is meeting a new problem: there are only small remaining areas, since exploration is destroying large forests. Applying the technique of the transects in three different areas in Brazil (Pampa and Cerrado biomes and Amazonian Forest), diversity and ecological data were collected for Agaricomycetes fungi, mainly order Agaricales, and compared to the fungi already known and their conservation status to understand how fungi are protected indirectly with the creation of small protected areas. The samples were collected in differents permanent protected areas (APP – permanent protected areas) in river margins in southern Brazil (RPAS), Saint Hilaire Forest in the Universidade de Goiás (MSH - ca. 20 ha) in Goiânia/GO and in the Universidade Federal do Amazonas Protected Forest (Manaus/AM - MUFAM), all located in Brazil. In MUFAM, 140 specimens were collected in 2014 and 2018 resulting in 47 species. In MSH 86 specimens were collected in 2019 and 2020 with 31 species identified. In RPAS 278 new species records for the Brazilian Pampa biome were cataloged, 23 new records for the state of Rio Grande do Sul and 4 new registrations for Brazil. This demonstrates the importance of small forest fragments to fungi preservation and maintenance, being efforts in that direction important in future studies of new conservation areas implementation.
Attini ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae) have great diversity in exploiting food resources. However, little is known about the mycophagy involving Agaricales fungi (Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes). Moreover, these associations are of paramount importance in riparian zones, as the interaction among soil, fauna and flora is fundamental to the maintenance of these environments. Thus, the aim of this study was to describe cases of mycophagy between ants and fungi in order to understand how these associations occur in riparian zones. To this, collections were made between 2021-2022 in the valleys of the Rio Vacacaí, Rio dos Sinos and Rio Pardo in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The samples were analyzed for characters macro and microscopic and identified taxonomically. Mycophagy activities of six species of ants worker were cataloged, among them Acromyrmex niger, Acromyrmex versicolor, Tranopelta gilva, Tranopelta subterranea, Pheidole flavens and Mycetosoritis hartmanni, which included in their diet the mushrooms Agaricus rufoaurantiacus, Macrocybe titans, Agrocybe underwoodii, Dactylosporina steffenii, Lepiota micropholis and Neopaxillus echinospermus, respectively. The observed interactions demonstrate the dispersal of fungal spores through ant body structures, such as legs, antennae, thorax and abdomen; basidiomata as aliment source, such as pileus, lamellae and stipe; and generalized and specialized levels of predation on various fungi structures. Our results demonstrate unprecedented mycophagous relationships and show that Agaricales fungi can be considered a food source for Attini in riparian zones in Brazil south.
Mushrooms are cultivable on various plant substrates and the yerba mate residue may be one of the most promising, especially if domestic cultivation techniques are developed. As a large producer and consumer of yerba mate, southern Brazil also presents a large production of this residue. In this sense, this work aimed to test the cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatoroseus on yerba mate residue, seeking a technique for its domestic cultivation. Three substrates were prepared: a) partially decomposed yerba mate; b) recently discarded yerba mate; c) yerba mate recently discarded and added with eucalyptus sawdust. Cultivation of P. ostreatoroseus in yerba mate just after disposal and partially decomposed proved to be unviable, with good mycelial colonization of the substrate, but without basidioma production. In cultivation with sawdust, all concentrations tested showed the formation of primordia, with 70% of sawdust, being the first to form primordia and having the largest basidiome in diameter. It is believed that aeration is an important factor for mycelial and basidiome development in P. ostreatoroseus, contrary to what has already been mentioned for P. djamor, contributing to the differentiation of both species in cultivation situations. The mycelium of the species growing on yerba mate residue was able to reduce the inoculum of pathogenic fungi, indicating that it is an adequate practice for the treatment of the final residue. Thus, the yerba mate residue added with sawdust proved to be a possible substrate for the cultivation of P. ostreatoroseus, in addition to eliminating pathogenic fungi from plants. Keywords: Cultivation; Alternative substrates; Shimeji; Mycelial growth.
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