Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

The southernmost part of Ontario forms what Canadians call the Carolinian Zone, better known as the Temperate Deciduous Forest Biome. Under 5% of the original forest cover in the region remains today. Many Species at Risk in Canada among birds, herptiles and vascular plants are known only from this region, but the status of most fungi is unknown. The goal of this research program is to determine the species composition of the fungal communities of Carolinian Canada, and to use our findings to test predictions and answer fundamental scientific questions of fungal biology. Since the Carolinian Zone is home to the greatest diversity of plants, insects, and vertebrates in Canada, we predict that it is likely to host the greatest diversity of macrofungi as well, and certainly many species that are new to science (undescribed) or have not been found previously in Canada. What common species, rarities, and biogeographical patterns will emerge? Is there evidence of a recent northward extension of species ranges, or the loss of other species, with climate change and increased anthropogenic disturbance? Is fungal diversity concentrated in protected areas, or present in areas whose future is insecure? We will survey macrofungi of Carolinian Canada by 1) Databasing existing fungal collections from Carolinian Canada in Toronto (ROM) and mine Mycoportal.org for databased collections held in other herbaria. 2) Working with parks and conservation area managers, First Nations groups, and local naturalists, four MSc and one PhD students will conduct surveys of macrofungi in key ecological reserves from May 2022 through April 2025. Periodic BioBlitzes will boost collections and raise the online profile of this project. This sampling will add to the list based on historic collections and provide fresh samples for DNA sequence verification. 3) During fungal surveys held in ecological reserves during 2022-2025 and beyond, we will collect ~1000 samples of soils and other fungal substrates for DNA metabarcoding. Graduate students conducting this work will also mine sequence data from previous studies available through online sequence repositories. "Gap analysis" of under-sampled habitats and fungal taxa will provide a focus for future studies. Species-accumulation curves of historic and recent collections and sequences will give coverage estimates of areas sampled, recognizing that "completion" is beyond the scope of a 5-year effort. Nonetheless, we predict that this program will yield a large increase in the fungi known from Canada, and it will provide exceptional career training to 5 graduate students and multiple undergraduate student assistants. There is a growing recognition of the importance of fungi in terrestrial ecosystems. Our findings will provide critical evidence necessary to make accurate and informed management decisions in an ecologically special region that is highly threatened by development, pollution, and climate change - and right in our back yard.