Book of Abstracts (PDF) - International Mycological Association

IMC7 Friday August 16th Lectures
384 - The importance of fungi
A.J.S. Whalley
School of Biomolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moores
Univeristy, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, U.K. - Email:
bmsawhal@livjm.ac.uk
Why study fungi? Politicians and grant awarding bodies
focus on the applied, the popular or the trendy. Fungi sadly
are rarely seen to fit into these categories. It is however our
duty as mycologists to demonstrate that fungi are one of
the Worlds greatest living resources and estimates of 1.5
million species or more are becoming increasingly likely.
Their track record for the benefit of man is without
question. Where would we be without penicillins,
cyclosporins cephalosporins and other important
pharmaceutical products? At least 80 percent of the worlds
plants have mycorrhizal associations without which they
would grow poorly or not at all. We could be justified in
saying no fungi no world! These of course are beneficial
activities but their global significance as pathogens of
economic plants and, more recently though HIV, man
should not be underestimated. Imagine the political
reaction if fungi were the perfect bio-weapons! This
symposium follows on from Vancouver where the then
President of IMA stated stand up and be proud to be a
mycologist because if you dont there will be few left in ten
years time. Eight years on is a good time to reflect and
prepare for the future. Mycology is in our hands and it is
our responsibility to make the subject exciting, emphasize
its relevance and to woo the appropriate individuals and
organizations.
385 - Awareness to Public
R. Watling
Caledonian Mycological Enterprises, Crelah, 26
Blinkbonny Ave, Edinburgh, EH4 3HU, Scotland, U.K. - Email:
caledonianmyc@compyserve.com
Promoting fungi at the grass roots is essential for the
development of a healthy appreciation of the role fungi
play and as mycologists its our duty to the community to
inform. The paper will present case-studies in which
pubic/mycological interface has been forged. It is
necessary to inject interest in fungi at a range of levels
from schools to adult education programmes. There are
more people in Britain than ever before collecting and
eating wild fungi and keen to know about their quarry and
many natural historians who wish to know about their
natural heritage but lack the knowledge and resources or
where to look for such information. These are very
receptive audiences. Children have strong influences on
their adults and they are the adults of the future. The
informed public is a useful ally in that it understands wellpresented
media coverage, lobby on behalf of mycology
and in addition includes a volunteer army happy to spend
long hours collecting, recording and monitoring. In contrast
many others, including politicians, consider fungi of
nuisance value or even deadly and rarely think (or know)
of the benefits. Celebrities can help to disseminate the
message. If mycology is to be supported by Government
agencies then they and voters require to know how
important fungi are to everyday life and well-being of our
planet. Mycologists are the people who know about fungi
so it is up to us; if all fails we cannot blame anyone else!.
386 - Integration of mycology with other disciplines
N.A.R. Gow
Univerity of Aberdeen, Insitute of Medical Sciences,
Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, U.K. - E-mail: n.gow@abdn.ac.uk
One vision of mycology is that our discipline is
undervalued and underfunded. The accuracy of such a view
is open to debate but reiteration of this negative view
undermines the value and potential of mycology. Other
disciplines also feel disadvantaged and have equal cause
for concern about the future. Therefore, it may seem
perverse or naïve to present on overtly positive vision of
mycology in the current climate, but there are many
opportunities for the modern era of mycology. The
mycological remit is broad with highly studies model
systems taking their place amongst the most important and
fashionable and systems in which to explore basic
biological processes. Genomics and post-genomic data
bases and technologies are being developed by cell and
molecular biologists, bacteriologists, parasitologists and
botanists that will have tremendous utility in the analysis of
fungi. The fungi are rich in organisms with critical roles to
play in ecology, biotechnology, medicine, agriculture and
other aspects of human endeavour, and remain one of the
few relatively unexplored corners of global biodiversity.
With the right tools, a multidisciplinary approach and an
open mind, mycology can be seen to be at the beginning of
an exciting and highly competitive era. This talk will
accentuate this naively positive view with selected
examples of how mycology is already evolving in this new
era.
387 - Educational aspects of promoting mycology
D. Moore
The University of Manchester, School of Biological
Sciences, 1.800 Stopford Building, Manchester M13 9PT,
U.K.
From the standpoint of recent experiences, I will discuss
the need for active promotion of mycology at all
educational levels. However strongly, and however loudly,
the case for the importance of fungi is put, we face an
uphill struggle to have mycology included in general
educational courses. Inclusion as a 'specialist study of a
taxonomic group' is feasible in college and university
courses, but there is little sympathy for the view that a
Book of Abstracts 121