Fungi
Roy
Watling
This
book is a wonderful resource for botanists and all those
interested in fungi, suitable for the general reader or
a student looking for background reading. The focus is
on the larger fungi; those which have an obvious fruiting
body.
Roy
Watling MBE, a respected mycologist who has written widely
on the subject of fungi, sheds light on these intriguing
organisms in a clear, accessible text illustrated with
superb colour photographs.
In
a world without fungi, all the fallen trees, dead leaves,
animal remains and other detritus would accumulate until
the surface of the planet resembled a vast refuse tip,
with little room for living things to exist. The job of
breaking down organic materials and recycling the component
molecules back into the environment is just one of the
essential roles of fungi. Once regarded as simple plants,
they are now thought of as a separate kingdom, having
diverged from common ancestors up to 500 million years
ago.
Whether
growing by the side of a forest path or served on toast,
the classic 'mushroom' fruiting bodies are only the most
visible signs of some of the large fungi, which may exist
for all or most of the time as long, hidden filaments
known as hyphae. Trees, some of the world's largest plants,
depend on fungi for help in obtaining nutrition from the
soil. Fungi are present in almost every habitat on earth,
and single specimens can occupy several hectares of land.
They occupy a key place at the base of the food chain
and are of great economic and biological importance, but
it is only recently that scientists have begun to realize
the ecological significance of fungi. The chapter on conservation
gives an idea of just how vital it is to study and protect
the habitats in which they thrive.
Published
by the Natural History Museum, London.
Key
features
- Comprehensive
and up-to-date
- Authored
by a recognised expert in the field
- Full-colour
photographs throughout
Contents
Preface; How important are fungi?;
What is a fungus?; The larger fungi; When and where?;
Collecting and studying fungi; Fungi and humans; Conservation;
Glossary; Index; Further information
About
the author
Roy Watling MBE is a respected
botanist and mycologist. He is an experienced writer on
the subject of fungi, and is a former president of the
British Mycological Society, Botanical Society of Scotland
and the Yorkshire Naturalist's Union.
About
the Life Series
The Natural History Museum's Life
Series explores the panorama of the natural world.
Each book covers a single plant or animal group, or ecosystem.
The series presents an accessible introduction to the
wonders of the natural world suitable for all nature enthusiasts.
Reviews
"There
is no better introduction to fungi and I recommend it
highly." BBC Wildlife Magazine
Press
release
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Specifications
ISBN:
0 565 09182 4
Price: £9.95
Format: Paperback
Size: 210 x 235 mm
Extent: 96 pp
Published: 31 October 2003
Subject classification: Popular science; mycology;
ecology; natural history
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