Research on endophytic fungi has increased considerably in the last 10 years, and the importance of understanding their biology, ecology, and chemical composition has become a priority. Ecuador's geography, which ranges from seacoast, to arid mountains, to Amazonian jungle, provides a unique diversity of ecosystems that contain high and unexplored biological diversity. Moreover, the exploration of such unique habitats has been shown to be an effective strategy for the discovery of novel molecules. This chapter intends to provide insights into the diversity and richness of fungal endophytes in a biodiversity hot spot as well as into novel molecules isolated up to date.
Keywords Diversity • Endophytic fungi • Ecuador • Neotropical
The Importance of Fungal Endophytes in a Megadiverse CountryTropical and temperate rainforests are the most biologically diverse terrestrial ecosystems. The most threatened of these spots cover only 1.44% of the land's surface, yet they harbor over 60% of the world's terrestrial biodiversity. In addition, each of the 20-25 areas identified as supporting the world's greatest biodiversity also support unusually high levels of plant endemism (Mittermeier et al. 1999).