Biodiversity of macrofungi in Yenepoya Campus, Southwest India

Abstract

Public and private institutions usually possess land space for buildings, play grounds,gardens, avenues and natural vegetation. Such landscapes possess diverse flora, fauna andmicrobiota. Inventory of biodiversity in the vicinity constitutes first step to follow the status ofhabitat based on diversity, carrying capacity and further steps for conservation or rehabilitation.The current study assessed macrofungal diversity in the Yenepoya Campus of southwest India incontinuation of assessment of flora and fauna. This preliminary inventory was carried out in 10habitats (three plantations, bamboo thickets, gardens, acacia groves, avenue trees, lawns, dumpedwood and termite mounds), which yielded 40 species of macrofungi belonging to 31 genera.Among them, twelve species were edible, twelve species were medicinal, two species wereectomycorrhizal and finally one species was entomophagous. Substrates supporting macrofungiinclude soil (particolous), humus (humicolous), woody debris (lignicolous) and insects(entomophagous). Results showed an abundance of five species (Amylosprous campbellii,Daldinia concentrica, Lenzites betulina, Marasmiellus stenophyllus and Schizophyllumcommune), 13 others were common and 22 species were occasional. In addition to flora andfauna, inventory of saprophytic macrofungi (involved in recycling the organic matter) occurringin an institution surroundings help designating the habitat as healthy or regenerated orimpoverished to follow appropriate measures to maintain the status quo, rehabilitation andconservation. This study suggests possibilities of domestication and utilization of several edible,medicinal and ectomycorrhizal fungi in this area.