Blowing the trumpet for fungal conservation: a comprehensive assessment of the conservation status of Cantharellus and Craterellus

Abstract

There is a growing appreciation of the role that fungi play in ecosystems, and thus their importance in conservation efforts. However, they remain under-represented and very few species have had their conservation status assessed at a global level. In this study we looked at a well-known group of fungi, the chanterelles of Cantharellus and Craterellus and evaluated the extinction risk of this group using the IUCN Red List methodology. While there was a high level of species assessed as Data Deficient, when compared to other comprehensively assessed taxonomic groups on the Red List, the proportion of species that fall within a threatened category, or as a species of conservation concern, is in the range of values for other groups. The threats driving such assessments are predominantly those that are driving habitat loss and deterioration, that would be impacting a suite of other species too. Thus, the conservation of fungi should be more readily streamlined with efforts for other taxonomic groups. The spatial distribution of chanterelle species of conservation concern broadly overlaps with ecoregions of known conservation importance but also highlights a new separate hotspot for fungal conservation, namely the Congo Basin; and given the importance of the Congo rainforest as the second largest after the Amazon, ensuring the maintenance of forest biodiversity through the conservation of such fungi is of critical importance.

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