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The good, the bad and the tasty: The many roles of mushrooms

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Alice BanksORCiD

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND).


Abstract

Fungi are often inconspicuous in nature and this means it is all too easy to overlook their importance. Often referred to as the “Forgotten Kingdom”, fungi are key components of life on this planet. The phylum Basidiomycota, considered to contain the most complex and evolutionarily advanced members of this Kingdom, includes some of the most iconic fungal species such as the gilled mushrooms, puffballs and bracket fungi. Basidiomycetes inhabit a wide range of ecological niches, carrying out vital ecosystem roles, particularly in carbon cycling and as symbiotic partners with a range of other organisms. Specifically in the context of human use, the basidiomycetes are a highly valuable food source and are increasingly medicinally important. In this review, seven main categories, or ‘roles’, for basidiomycetes have been suggested by the authors: as model species, edible species, toxic species, medicinal basidiomycetes, symbionts, decomposers and pathogens, and two species have been chosen as representatives of each category. Although this is in no way an exhaustive discussion of the importance of basidiomycetes, this review aims to give a broad overview of the importance of these organisms, exploring the various ways they can be exploited to the benefit of human society.


Publication metadata

Author(s): de Mattos-Shipley KMJ, Ford KL, Alberti F, Banks AM, Bailey AM, Foster GD

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Studies in Mycology

Year: 2016

Volume: 85

Pages: 125-157

Print publication date: 01/09/2016

Online publication date: 11/11/2016

Acceptance date: 02/04/2016

Date deposited: 03/02/2017

ISSN (print): 0166-0616

ISSN (electronic): 1872-9797

Publisher: CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.simyco.2016.11.002

DOI: 10.1016/j.simyco.2016.11.002


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
BB/K002341/1

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