The Fungarium of Yugra State University

Study Extent

Currently the database holds about 10K collection objects, 18K preparations, and 5 Type specimens (1 isotype, 1 holotype and 3 paratypes).

Sampling

Specimens in the collection are accumulated by direct observation and extraction of fruiting structures of fungi. The two major approaches are used: observation and collection of fruiting structures of larger fungi (macromycetes) by naked eye, and lens observations of substrates followed by extraction of smaller fruiting structures of discomycetes, hyphomycetes, pyrenomycetes etc. A common procedure of collecting, describing and preserving specimens recommended for inventories of macrofungi is used (Mueller et al., 2004, Biodiversity of fungi).

Quality Control

27% of the collection specimens have been cited in one to four publications. A total of 107 publications are linked to specimens in the database, including journal papers, descriptions in the Red Book and publications of specimens in Internet mycological forums (AscoFrance, MushroomObserver, iNaturalist and others). The collections are made by the trained mycologists or amateur mycologists, the total number of collectors – 14, the majority of specimens (87%) in the collection were collected by one person (Filippova N.). Identification was performed by a total of 30 specialists through direct work in the Fungarium (Filippova N., Bulyonkova T. – a total of 5150 specimens), in other laboratories with loaned material (Zmitrovich I. – 50 specimens, Rebriev Yu. – 34, Novozhilov Yu. – 9, Khimich Yu. – 27, Popov E. – 15, Blagoveschenskaya E. – 12, and others), or making comments on identification through Internet mycological forums (Baral H. – 27 specimens, and others). About 20% of the collection specimens are currently not identified to the species rank (representatives of the systematically complex groups, like Russula, Cortinarius, Mycena, Entoloma, Inocybe, Clitocybe, and others).

Method steps

1. Fruitbodies of larger fungi are photographed and their growing conditions are described in the field, extracted from the substrate and packed in aluminium foil to be processed in the laboratory later on the day of collection.
2. Macro-morphological features of sporocarps are described according to schemes required for specific systematic groups.
3. Spore prints are obtained when the number of sporocarps is sufficient.
4. Sporocarps are dried after processing in a drying oven under 50°C and stored as dry specimens in Ziploc bags and kraft-paper envelopes.
5. The preparations are made from vital or dried specimens soaked in tap water, ammonia, or KOH (10%), with dyes when necessary (Melzer solution and Congo red).
6. Microscopical characters are studied using a Zeiss Stemi-2000C stereomicroscope (providing a magnification from 6x to 50x), and Zeiss Axiostar transmitted light microscope (50x to 1000x) with Achromat 5/0.12, 10/0.25, 40/0.65 (dry) and Achromat 100/1.25 (oil immersion) lenses.
7. Microphotographs are obtained under transmitted light microscopes using a AxioCam ERc5c digital camera and processed with AxioVision software.
8. Measurements made using AxioVision software.
9. Since 2021, the barcoding (sequencing) of collection has been initiated. We relied primarily on the ITS region using the ITS1-F and ITS4 primers TEF1 and LSU regions were amplified occasionally.
10. Ready sequences are uploaded to the YSU Fungarium database in Specify 7. Sequence metadata, the edited sequence and original files are saved. Each sample may correspond to one or several sequences (different regions). Each sequence may have one or several original files with their sequencing parameters. Primer parameters are filled in a separate table.
11. During the two years of the project, over 1500 sequences from about 2000 specimens were performed. About a third was a part of the revision of the large genus Cortinarius. Another large part was within the effort of raised bog fungi barcoding. The remaining specimens were from revisions of minor groups, students projects and sequencing of noteworthy finds and taxa potentially new to region or to science in general.
12. Currently the dataset presents abotu 500 sequences as DNA-derived extension. The sequences linked to their specimens and contain 10 fields describing the sequence and its metadata.

The taxonomical structure of the collections currently includes the total number of species represented – about 1.5K, genera represented – about 500, families represented – about 150. The majority of the specimens in the YSU Fungarium belong to the Basidiomycota (about 80%), less to Ascomycota (10%) with few specimens of Zygomycota and Myxomycota. The majority of specimens were collected in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug (90%), with 11 other regions of Russia represented by small numbers.

1. Fungi
   rank: kingdom
2. Mycetozoa
   rank: kingdom

Specimens deposited in the YSU Fungarium were collected mainly in the taiga zone of Western Siberia (Russia). The majority of specimens were collected in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra (94%), 150 specimens from Tomskaya oblast, and several dozens of specimens from Irkutskaya, Moskovskaya, Murmanskaya oblast and from Altay, while the rest four regions represented by a few specimens (Krasnoyarskiy Kray, Novosibirskaya Oblast’, Respublica Buryatia, Tyumenskaya Oblast’). Within administrative borders of Yugra, 6 districts are represented with majority (98%) from Khanty-Mansiyskiy district. The two main sampling areas are located in the vicinities of Khanty-Mansiysk (60N 68E) and the nearby Shapsha and Mukhrino field stations of the YSU. Major vegetation types covered by the collection are coniferous dark taiga forests and their deciduous derivates (more than half of the collection), and ombrotrophic raised bogs (comprising about 30% of the collection). Coniferous forests (dominated by Pinus sibirica, Picea obovata, and Abies sibirica) and their deciduous successions (Populus tremula, Betula pubescens) are characteristic for the taiga zone of Western Siberia. The region is highly bogged, with ombrotrophic peatlands covering about 50% of the area. Other major landscapes include floodplains of big rivers, where meadow and floodplain shrub vegetation develops.