Fungal diversity and its implications for genetic resource collections

The extent of fungal diversity is reviewed, with respect to revised estimates of the numbers of plant species, and recent data on the extent of novelty in tropical forests, unexplored habitats, and numbers of orphaned, cryptic, and collected but yet undescribed species. Collections of fungal cultures are considered to be better referred to as "genetic resource collections" rather than "culture collections" to mesh with current terminology in other groups of organisms. The extent of holdings relative to the numbers of known and estimated species are reviewed and compared with those of vascular plants in botanic gardens and seed banks. The role of collections in supporting fungal genomics and molecular biology, and as a source of vouchers to vindicate published work in all aspects of mycology, is highlighted. Information is presented on the extent to which collections worldwide document and conserve the Earth's fungal genetic resource. Finally, the special role and responsibilities of CBS, as the major centre for the conservation of fungal genetic resources worldwide, is emphasized.