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Fungal Diversity in Various Environments, 4th Edition
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Fungal Diversity in Various Environments, 4th Edition

A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X). This special issue belongs to the section "Fungal Evolution, Biodiversity and Systematics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2025) | Viewed by 10283

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Seung-Yoon Oh

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology and Chemistry, Changwon National University, Changwon 51140, Republic of Korea
Interests: fungal diversity; fungal taxonomy and phylogenetics evolution bioinformatics; ecology; community ecology; evolution; mycology; metagenomics; bioinformatics; phylogenetics; symbiosis; bacteria-fungi interaction; ectomycorrhizal fungi; pine mushroom
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In various environments, fungi are important members of ecosystems as symbionts, saprophytes, and pathogens. we can find fungi everywhere, but their diversity and role in the environments are largely unexplored. In this Special Issue of the Journal of Fungi, we invite contributions that expand our knowledge on the fungal diversity in various environments. The topics of special interest and focus are:

  • Novel species, taxonomy, and systematics;
  • Biodiversity, community composition, and distribution;
  • Ecology, symbiosis, and interaction with other organisms;
  • Bioactivity (e.g., antibiotic effect, plant-growth promotion, enzyme activity, etc) and secondary metabolites.

Thank you for your contributions.

Dr. Seung-Yoon Oh
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Fungi is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fungal diversity
  • fungal taxonomy
  • phylogenetics evolution bioinformatics

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 8091 KB  
Article
Five New Species of Gibellula (Hypocreales, Cordycipitaceae) from China
by Bo Tu, Hui Chen, Xu Zhang, Yu-Hu Guan, De-Xiang Tang, Qi-Rui Li and Yao Wang
J. Fungi 2025, 11(12), 891; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11120891 - 17 Dec 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1322
Abstract
The genus Gibellula (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) comprises highly specialized, obligate pathogens that exclusively parasitize spiders. In this study, five new species were delimited based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence from a six-locus dataset (nrSSU, ITS, nrLSU, tef-1α, rpb1, [...] Read more.
The genus Gibellula (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) comprises highly specialized, obligate pathogens that exclusively parasitize spiders. In this study, five new species were delimited based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence from a six-locus dataset (nrSSU, ITS, nrLSU, tef-1α, rpb1, rpb2). Specimens were collected from northeastern (Jilin and Liaoning Provinces) and southwestern (Yunnan Province) China. Phylogenetic analyses resolved these collections into five distinct, well-supported lineages, described as G. baishanensis, G. jilinensis, G. kunmingensis, G. paralongispora, and G. yunnanensis spp. nov. Among these, G. baishanensis and G. jilinensis were identified as sister taxa, whereas G. kunmingensis formed an independent lineage. Gibellula paralongispora was recovered as a sister to G. longispora, and G. yunnanensis as a sister to G. attenboroughii; both new species are supported by significant morphological distinctions (e.g., conidiophore length and conidial shape). This study provides detailed descriptions, illustrations, and morphological comparisons for these taxa, thereby enriching the taxonomy of Gibellula. Furthermore, the records from Jilin and Liaoning represent only the second documented occurrence of the genus in northeastern China, significantly expanding its known geographic range. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Diversity in Various Environments, 4th Edition)
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19 pages, 4298 KB  
Article
Deciphering the Role of Reshaped Fungal Microbiome in Cadmium Accumulation in Rice Grains
by Weijun Gong, Minghui Chen, Yibin Lai, Dian Yang, Marcos Antônio Soares, Surendra Kumar Gond and Haiyan Li
J. Fungi 2025, 11(12), 837; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11120837 - 27 Nov 2025
Viewed by 1006
Abstract
Rice cadmium (Cd) contamination is a serious threat to global food security and human health. Plant-associated microbiomes are known to affect Cd accumulation in plants. However, the response of the rice microbiome to Cd contamination and its role in modulating grain Cd accumulation [...] Read more.
Rice cadmium (Cd) contamination is a serious threat to global food security and human health. Plant-associated microbiomes are known to affect Cd accumulation in plants. However, the response of the rice microbiome to Cd contamination and its role in modulating grain Cd accumulation remain poorly understood. In the present study, the responses of the rhizospheric fungi (RF) community and seed endophytic fungi (SEF) community to the soil physiochemical properties of rice from moderately (MC) and severely (SC1 and SC2) Cd-contaminated paddies were investigated. Moreover, the effects of soil physiochemical properties, RF community and SEF community on grain Cd accumulation were analyzed through correlation analysis. The results showed that the Cd concentration in rice grains from SC2 exceeded the food safety standard of China and was higher than that of SC1 and MC. The Cd concentration in rice grains was positively correlated with the soil-available Cd concentration, while being negatively correlated with the available nutrient elements and pH value of soil. In addition, it was found that the diversity of RF increased with the soil-available Cd concentration, while the diversity and richness of SEF decreased with the soil-available Cd concentration. Moreover, the RF community was influenced by soil physiochemical properties. The Spearman correlation analysis showed that the soil-available Cd was positively correlated with RF Sebacina, Clonostachys, Acremonium, Talaromyces and Fusarium, and most of them were related to grain Cd concentration, while unclassified SEF Pleosporales and Xylariales were associated with grain Cd concentration. These results suggested that Cd stress triggered a niche-specific response of the rice fungal microbiome. The fungi related to soil Cd availability and rice grain Cd accumulation may have a great potential application in food safety production in Cd-contaminated soil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Diversity in Various Environments, 4th Edition)
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19 pages, 1973 KB  
Article
Molecular Identification, Mycelial Growth Kinetics, and Antimicrobial Potential of Newly Isolated Medicinal Mushroom Fomitopsis pinicola from Bulgaria
by Petya Stefanova, Anateya Georgieva, Mariya Brazkova, Radka Baldzhieva, Bogdan Goranov, Denica Blazheva, Anton Slavov and Galena Angelova
J. Fungi 2025, 11(10), 727; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11100727 - 10 Oct 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2207
Abstract
The present study is focused on a newly isolated Fomitopsis strain obtained from black pine (Pinus nigra) from the Sredna Gora Mountains, Bulgaria. Molecular identification, based on ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region sequencing, confirmed the strain as Fomitopsis pinicola with 99.84 BLAST percent identity. [...] Read more.
The present study is focused on a newly isolated Fomitopsis strain obtained from black pine (Pinus nigra) from the Sredna Gora Mountains, Bulgaria. Molecular identification, based on ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region sequencing, confirmed the strain as Fomitopsis pinicola with 99.84 BLAST percent identity. Phylogenetic analysis verified that the new fungal isolate belongs to the European F. pinicola clade. The morphological analysis of the strain revealed several distinctive structures that further support its identification. The influence of culture media composition on fungal development was evaluated by analyzing the mycelial growth kinetics using both the logistic growth model and the reversible autocatalytic model. Submerged cultivation was employed to produce fungal biomass, which was subsequently lyophilized and used for the assessment of the antimicrobial potential of the fungal strain. The results demonstrated notable antimicrobial effects against all tested bacterial strains. The most significant activity was observed for the aqueous extract against Escherichia coli and the hexane extract against Salmonella enteritidis, both with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 312.5 µg/mL. These findings highlight the promising potential of the newly isolated F. pinicola strain for future applications in the medical and pharmaceutical industries, particularly in developing drugs to combat multidrug resistance, based on the promising results of its water extracts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Diversity in Various Environments, 4th Edition)
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18 pages, 5502 KB  
Article
Fungi in the Chilean Altiplano: Analyses of Diversity and Yeasts with Applied Enzymatic Potential
by Jennifer Alcaíno, Claudio Veloso, Maximiliano Coche, Danae Troncoso and Marcelo Baeza
J. Fungi 2025, 11(8), 561; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11080561 - 29 Jul 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1413
Abstract
Fungal communities in high plateau ecosystems remain understudied despite their crucial roles in soil ecosystems, and yeasts inhabiting extreme regions have potential for industrial and biotechnological applications. We studied the fungal diversity in soils across 14 Chilean Altiplano sites using amplicon-based metagenomics and [...] Read more.
Fungal communities in high plateau ecosystems remain understudied despite their crucial roles in soil ecosystems, and yeasts inhabiting extreme regions have potential for industrial and biotechnological applications. We studied the fungal diversity in soils across 14 Chilean Altiplano sites using amplicon-based metagenomics and isolation of yeasts to assess their growth under various conditions and hydrolytic enzyme secretion. Using the metagenomic approach, the Ascomycota and Basidiomycota phyla were found to be the most abundant (85% and 8%, respectively). Unclassified families and genera prevailed at six and ten sites, respectively. At the other sites, the most abundant families included Cladosporiaceae, Teratosphaeriaceae, and Sporormiaceae, and the genera Oleoguttula, Coniochaeta, and Peziza. Biodiversity indices did not correlate with the soil’s geographic origin, organic matter content, humidity, or pH. Most isolated yeasts belong to the Naganishia, Holtermanniella, and Vishniacozyma genera, growing at temperatures ranging from 4 °C to 26 °C. Most isolates could use glucose, sucrose, and maltose as carbon sources and exhibited amylase, esterase, pectinase, and protease activities at 30 °C and below. Our results indicate that the evaluated soil physicochemical parameters do not explain the fungal distribution in the Altiplano and highlight the region as a reservoir of unknown fungi, including yeasts with industrially relevant enzymes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Diversity in Various Environments, 4th Edition)
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44 pages, 8654 KB  
Article
Hidden Treasures of Colombia’s Pacific Mangrove: New Fungal Species and Records of Macrofungi (Basidiomycota)
by Viviana Motato-Vásquez, Lina Katherine Vinasco-Diaz, Jorge M. Londoño-Caicedo and Ana C. Bolaños-Rojas
J. Fungi 2025, 11(6), 459; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11060459 - 17 Jun 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3612
Abstract
Mangrove-associated fungi represent a diverse but understudied group of eukaryotic organisms, especially in the Neotropics. The Colombian Pacific region, with approximately 1300 km of coastline covered with 194,880 ha of mangrove forests that remain largely unexplored for macrofungal diversity, is recognized as a [...] Read more.
Mangrove-associated fungi represent a diverse but understudied group of eukaryotic organisms, especially in the Neotropics. The Colombian Pacific region, with approximately 1300 km of coastline covered with 194,880 ha of mangrove forests that remain largely unexplored for macrofungal diversity, is recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot. This study aimed to catalog the macrofungi associated with mangrove ecosystems in Colombia, integrating morphological characterization and molecular phylogenetics, focusing on three Valle del Cauca Pacific coast localities. A total of 81 specimens were collected from both living trees and decaying wood. Detailed macroscopic and microscopic analyses were conducted, and DNA sequences from two ribosomal DNA barcode regions (ITS and LSU) were generated for 43 specimens. Three new species—Neohypochnicium manglarense, Phlebiopsis colombiana, and Porogramme bononiae—were documented. In addition, eight species were reported as new records for both Colombia and mangrove ecosystems, including Microporus affinis, Paramarasmius palmivorus, Phlebiopsis flavidoalba, Porogramme brasiliensis, Resinicium grandisporum, Trametes ellipsospora, T. menziesii, and T. polyzona. Although previously recorded in Colombian terrestrial ecosystems, Lentinus scleropus and Oudemansiella platensis are globally reported here for the first time from mangrove habitats. Furthermore, Fomitopsis nivosella and Punctularia strigosozonata were documented for the first time in Colombia. This study addresses the first exploration of mangrove-associated macrofungi in the country and provides new insights into the hidden fungal diversity and potential of mangrove ecosystems as a latent niche for basidiomycete dispersal along Colombia’s Pacific coast. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Diversity in Various Environments, 4th Edition)
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