Welcome to the Shroomery Message Board! You are experiencing a small sample of what the site has to offer. Please login or register to post messages and view our exclusive members-only content. You'll gain access to additional forums, file attachments, board customizations, encrypted private messages, and much more!
|
 veggie
Registered: 07/25/04
Posts: 13,985
Loc: 
|
 Fungi scientists are endangered species [UK] 
#9324072 - 11/27/08 07:49 PM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
November 28, 2008 - independent.co.uk
Fungi scientists are endangered species
Budget cuts threaten research into basics that propagate life on Earth
 They give us our daily bread and beer, provide us with life-saving medicines and recycle our waste, yet the study of fungi – life forms that include everything from penicillin to truffles – could end within the next 10 years in Britain.
Experts have warned that the science of identifying and classifying the many different species of fungi faces extinction in the UK, with less than a handful of qualified mycologists left in full-time employment by 2011 and none at all by 2018. Mycology – the study of fungi – is no longer taught as a distinct subject in British universities and budget cuts have led to fewer scientists engaged in taxonomy and systematics, the scientific classification of species.
Joan Kelley, head of mycology at the Centre for Agricultural Bioscience International (Cabi) in Oxfordshire, said there is now no formal training in fungal systematics and taxonomy in the UK at any level within the education system, and this could lead to a complete lack of mycologists in 10 years. Cabi has one of the most important collections of fungi in Britain but even this is at risk of being destroyed unless the Government can provide the funding as well as the training needed to keep the science of mycology alive, Dr Kelley said.
"There does seem to be an 'out of sight, out of mind' approach to funding. But without fungi, life as we know it would not be possible. Assessing ecosystems without taking into account the fungi is like taking care of computer boxes but not the chips inside," Dr Kelley said.
"Yet major pieces of work continue to be published considering ecology and climate change without any mention of fungi."
Fungi perform two vital roles for life on Earth. They rot down the tough lignin and cellulose of fallen trees and they form close relationships with the roots of plants in a mutual symbiosis that allows vegetation to survive. They also provide important sources of food – from expensive truffles to the filamentous fungi used in Quorn, the meat substitute – as well as medicines such as the antibiotic penicillin and the cholesterol-lowering statins.
"We still don't have a complete checklist of fungi in Britain and we don't know what's out there," said Peter Roberts, a senior mycologist at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, who retires next year. "We're still finding species in Britain that are new to science, but there is a decreasing number of increasingly elderly mycologists in the UK. Systematics and taxonomy are not seen as cutting-edge science. Many young people think that the classification of fungi has been done years ago. I know botanists and zoologists are finding the same kinds of problem and it's not seen as easily reversed."
Some of the most damaging diseases of important food crops are caused by fungi.
Facts about fungi: The basics of life
Life-saving fungi
Most people living in the UK owe their lives to a fungus, Penicillium chrysogenum, the original source of the penicillin antibiotics. Also, Tolypocladium inflatum is the source of cyclosporin, the drug that is used to prevent rejection in organ transplants.
Recycling fungus
Fungi are the ultimate recyclers, and are the only organisms capable of recycling wood because of their ability to break down lignin and cellulose. If it were not for species such as Ganoderma applanatum, centre right, our woodlands could not exist
Valuable fungi
One of most valuable fungi is Ophiocordyceps sinensis, the Himalayan caterpillar fungus which sells for up to £20,000 a kilo and is highly prized in Chinese traditional medicine. But white truffles – edible fruiting bodies of underground tuber fungi – can cost even more
Drug-producing fungus
The fungus Monascus ruber is one of the principal sources of statin drugs, used for lowering cholesterol levels. It also causes food spoilage, and close relatives are used to make Oriental fermented foods
Root fungus
Technically known as a mycorrhiza, 85 per cent of plants have fungus growing on their roots, without which they would be unable to thrive. The fungus actually helps the plant absorb water and nutrients from the soil and the fungus benefits from direct access to the sugars glucose and sucrose produced by the plant
Freezing fungi
Fungal species known as extremophiles – due to the adverse and extreme conditions they live in – have been found in Antarctica at temperatures well below 0C. On a recent trip to the Antarctic, more than 450 strains of fungi were collected by the British Antarctic Survey.
|
 tempingasashaman
\\\\\\\\////////\\\\\\\\
Registered: 11/17/08
Posts: 1,374
Loc: under the rainbow
Last seen: 2 years, 4 months
|
Re: Fungi scientists are endangered species [UK] [Re: veggie]
#9324928 - 11/27/08 10:11 PM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
I'm beginning to think that the UK is a terrible place to be.
--------------------
the greatest use of life is to spend it on something that will outlast it
Edited by tempingasashaman (11/29/08 11:51 AM)
|
akb112211
Stranger
Registered: 09/10/07
Posts: 852
Loc: UKUSANetherlands
Last seen: 6 months, 16 days
|
Re: Fungi scientists are endangered species [UK] [Re: tempingasashaman]
#9325869 - 11/28/08 05:19 AM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
What?
keep "begging".
The UK is a wonderful place to live.
The longer I stay here, the more it begins to feel like home.
You should try it some time. It'll open your mind.
Anyway, in relation to the article...
It was obviously written to get the public interested and possibly an MP to bring the issue up in parliament. They are in great need of funding by the looks of it. And it does make me want to continue to study fungi taxonomy and mycology.
Hey Alan, would you consider a move?
Great article.
--------------------
"There never was and never will be,
Nor is there now,
The wholly criticized
Or the wholly approved"
Edited by akb112211 (11/28/08 05:21 AM)
|
Irieforester
Head to toe inH2O
Registered: 03/10/08
Posts: 515
Loc: That state seperating fro...
Last seen: 3 years, 1 month
|
Re: Fungi scientists are endangered species [UK] [Re: akb112211]
#9326700 - 11/28/08 10:10 AM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
Pretty sure he meant "beginning"
--------------------
I am still and forever learning
Apollyphelion said:
You can learn A LOT from shitting in the right set and setting!
|
akb112211
Stranger
Registered: 09/10/07
Posts: 852
Loc: UKUSANetherlands
Last seen: 6 months, 16 days
|
Re: Fungi scientists are endangered species [UK] [Re: Irieforester]
#9330738 - 11/29/08 03:24 AM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
obviously. But its quite easy to edit mistakes though. And no, I'm not perfect either. But come on..
--------------------
"There never was and never will be,
Nor is there now,
The wholly criticized
Or the wholly approved"
|
tempingasashaman
\\\\\\\\////////\\\\\\\\
Registered: 11/17/08
Posts: 1,374
Loc: under the rainbow
Last seen: 2 years, 4 months
|
Re: Fungi scientists are endangered species [UK] [Re: akb112211]
#9331989 - 11/29/08 11:57 AM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
sorry for the terrible confusion.
I just see how the government up there is basically bull shitting about all these drugs, kicking up cannabis and putting down ecstasy. I'm not saying the US government is any better, damnit I don't like them either.
Completely ignoring a form of life seems like utter ignorance to me. To each his own though.
--------------------
the greatest use of life is to spend it on something that will outlast it
|
filthee
DWWP
Registered: 10/16/08
Posts: 4,257
Loc: australia
|
Re: Fungi scientists are endangered species [UK] [Re: veggie]
#9335751 - 11/30/08 02:43 AM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
theres fungi that kill alot of trees and plants that still havent got remedies so abandoning this research is pretty stupid imho
| |
|
|
You cannot start new topics / You cannot reply to topics
HTML is disabled / BBCode is enabled
Moderator: veggie
1,052 topic views. 3 members, 32 guests and 0 web crawlers are browsing this forum.
[ Toggle Favorite | Print Topic ]
| | |
|
|
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Shop for: 
Edit 
Reply 
