Tropical Mycology Field Course

The course provides an overview of the diversity, taxonomy, ecology, morphology, and evolution of higher fungi (Ascomycota and Basidiomycota) through a field trip in the Amazonian Forest of Brazil. The focus is given to field Mycology techniques and identification of fungi based on macro and microscopic features. Methods for collecting, microscopy preparation and observations, storing and processing fungi will be demonstrated in the laboratory and in the field. An introduction on how to use microscopes (stereo and compound) to visualize fungal specimens will be provided, and close support will be available throughout the course. Scientific papers and books dealing with fungal morphology and taxonomy will be available and discussed during the lectures.

Before the field trip: The course involves one online lecture to provide an overview of the course, collecting techniques, safety, and an introduction to the kingdom Fungi, focusing on the major groups we will be encountering in the field. Among those are a variety of "zombie-ant" fungi (Cordyceps), bioluminescent mushrooms, fungus-gardening leaf-cutter ants, and many others.

The field trip: The core of the course is a mandatory 10 days in Brazil, where the students will conduct surveys in a fragment of the Amazonian Forest. Before any field activity starts, an online lecture will be provided and will include an overview about collecting methods, safety, curation and database of fungi we will be using during the surveys. All students will be accompanied by at least one Professor and one local field guide (usually a plant para-taxonomist) during all field activities.

The first 3 days in Brazil will be spent sailing upwards Rio Negro, exploring Amazonian landscapes along the Rio Negro.

Day 1 in Brazil - Departure and Introduction: 

• Onboard lecture on Amazonian systems, highlighting the differences between blackwater (Rio Negro) and whitewater rivers.
• Observation of flooded igapó forests from the boat.  First collecting stop at a riverside beach/forest edge to familiarize students with field sampling routines.
• Social activities and group icebreakers on boat; discussion on the cultural and ecological importance of the Rio Negro.

Day 2 - Vegetation Gradients and Collecting:

• Visit to a várzea (floodplain forest) and terra firme (upland) site accessible from the river. Guided walks and sampling exercises focusing on fungal diversity, soil types, and microhabitats.
• Onboard comparative discussion: Igapó vs. várzea vs. terra firme – biodiversity, nutrient cycles, and conservation challenges.
• Short practical session on field note-taking, sample labeling, and preservation techniques.
• Informal peer presentations on first impressions and collections; group discussion over dinner.

Day 3 - Integration and Preparation for Reserva Ducke:

• Final collecting stop in a transitional forest area, emphasizing edge effects and anthropogenic pressures near riverine communities.
• Return navigation toward Manaus. Closing social activities to consolidate group dynamics and prepare for the intensive fieldwork ahead.

Day 4-8:

• The activities are typically surveying and field photography (morning), laboratory work (afternoon), photographing microscopic features (evening). Databasing is an important part of the process and will be conducted along all the activities.

Day 9:

• Reserved for the lab wrap-up. The students and instructors will discuss the collected specimens, take additional photos and prepare the materials for the presentations in the next day.

Day 10: 

• At the field station, students will present a 15-minute talk (oral essay), organized in groups of 3 participants, about 3 fungal groups of choice (morning and afternoon), following feedback and group discussion.

Back in Copenhagen, each student will be required to choose 3 fungal species among those collected and prepare a written essay about them to be submitted one week after returning to Copenhagen. It should include an introduction, material and methods and results containing taxonomic descriptions (taxonomic plates and morphological description) of macro and microscopic features, using the data collected along the field surveys. Finally, a discussion should present the selected species in context in terms of ecology, ecosystem functioning and fungal biodiversity and taxonomy. Detailed feedback will be provided for each student with the possibility to meet over Zoom.

The course will focus on insect-associated, saprophytic and wood-decaying fungi (i.e. insect-associated, mushrooms and wood-decaying fungi).