Your path towards ecological understanding

Fungi Friday; False truffles (Elaphomyces muricatus)

August 31, 2018 Philip Pinzone

A mature specimen of the false truffle, Elaphomyces muricatus. Younger specimens have a central spore mass that is whiter, turning black and powdery with age. By Danny Newman. — A mature specimen of the false truffle, *Elaphomyces muricatus.* Younger specimens have a central spore mass that is whiter, turning black and powdery with age. By Danny Newman.

Elaphomyces muricatus is a fascinating species that I’m glad I learned about. Again, in the world of biology, convergent evolution is nature’s way of telling us that these specific, forms and functions have worked really well in the past, and will keep on promoting fitness well into the future. Hypogeous truffle-like fungi have evolved separately several times over for many reasons. Read this blog entry to find out more!

Island biogeography; speciation in an endangered Japanese Pine and a newly discovered mycorrhizal fungus

January 11, 2018 Philip Pinzone

Island distribution of Pinus amamiana. These endangered pines grow on Southern islands of the

 
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… — Island distribution of *Pinus amamiana*. These endangered pines grow on Southern islands of the Kagoshima Prefecture.

A newly described species of mycorrhizal fungi isolated from soils inhabited by endangered pines native to the islands of Southern Japan show the importance of taking a mycological approach in the field of conservation biology.