https://tinyurl.com/VTFungi23

Description (Flyer): https://tinyurl.com/VTFungi23 Learn about mushrooms and other fungi through lectures, forays into nature, discussions, field collections and lab examination. We will survey, study and identify the major fungal groups, especially within the basidiomycetes (mushrooms and their kin) and ascomycetes (morels, cup fungi and their kin). Objectives: 1) Learn the unique and shared features of each group, including biology, form, reproductive strategies, roles as key ecosystem members, pathogens on other creatures, and value as foods, poisons and drugs. 2) Analyze and identify field-collected mushrooms and other macrofungi, using visible, microscopic and other features for identification. Discuss growing fungi in culture (if interest we can cultivate some). 3) Create a high quality collection of well characterized, identified, and preserved mushrooms (or other macrofungi). You will document and preserve macroscopic and microscopic features, spore deposit color and spore morphology, and other characters used to identify mushrooms to the genus and species, as possible.

This course combines extensive field exploration, teaching in nature, some lecture and laboratory work. Some independent research outside of the scheduled class time is required to study the specimens you will collect. Most of our time will be outdoors at the many field sites that we will visit, with regular lab session for microscopy and careful study. Expectations: Read the assigned book sections prior to class, attend and participate in lecture, participate in field trips, and be fully engaged in the laboratory. Independent work in the laboratory will be needed to analyze specimens and prepare collection. An oral presentations will be made to class. Students will use the textbook and field guide, and electronic resources to be announced.

Grading in FUNGI will emphasize your fungi collection, and include several quizzes, an oral presentation, and participation.