Macrofungi are the main decomposers of plant organic matter, and essential for the survival of plants, through relations called mycorrhizae. Their roles as biotrophs also help regulate population sizes and balance ecosystems.
In March, a team of researchers from Belgium, Brazil, Colombia and the United States of America visited Gorongosa National Park, one of many locations chosen throughout the world to study and collect fungi samples.
Funded by the National Science Foundation, the study will help scientists understand the world’s fungal diversity.
The researchers collected macrofungi (mushrooms), with a focus on Leotiomycetes, as well as biotrophs of plants and arthropods. The Fungi comprise a kingdom of life which is still largely unknown, despite their importance for life on Earth.
