The fungi of Africa are immensely diverse (as are the other major organism groups) but are very poorly known, existing information is difficult to access, and almost nothing is known about their conservation needs. This is despite their crucial role in ecosystem function:
- as recyclers of plant and animal remains (especially as degraders of lignified tissues) to maintain soil fertility
- as mycorrhizal symbionts with roots that are crucial for water uptake by most plants
- as partners with algae and cyanobacteria to form lichen associations
- as food sources for a wide variety of animals, small and large, vertebrate and invertebrate
- as producers of a plethora of bioactive chemicals, including antibiotics and statins
- as primary soil formers through degradation of rock
Many of the fungi of Africa have great beauty, and extraordinary form; they are just as deserving of conservation as the large charismatic mammals for which Africa is famous. This website will bring together new and old information on fungi with an emphasis on identification tools, to enable scientists from Africa and elsewhere to better understand the natural world around them.
Development of this information resource is taking place in association with CABI and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Initial support for its development has been kindly provided by the Bentham-Moxon Trust.
Click on the plus signs and taxon names on the All Fungi section on the left of this page to explore.
