One third of the species studied in the danger of dying extinction – Finnish species included

Mushrooms suffer from logging, agricultural spread and pollution.

The International Nature Conservation Organization IUCN has complemented its \”red book\” of endangered organisms with mushroom species.

Experts have investigated the situation of 1,300 best known fungal species. At least 411 species were found to be threatened by extinction.

Mushrooms are threatened by the same yeah as many other species, such as forest logging. Especially for mushrooms living in old trees, logging is devastating because they cannot expect new trees to aging.

Mushrooms are also very sensitive to pollution, as well as for nitrogen and ammonia casting from agriculture.

Known in Finland and the Nordic countries, for example, the giant readiness is now endangered, as 30 % of the elderly pine forests in the countries have been beaten since the mid-1970s.

There is still very little known about the actual situation of the fungi, as 150,000 mushroom species have been listed and up to 2.5 million species.

Mushrooms are a vital part of the Earth’s biota. They are, among other things, composters of vegetable waste, but they are also invaluable, for example, in the digestion of mammals. Mushrooms also provide medications such as antibiotics.

*Sources: AFP, Reuters*