The USDA Forest Service-RMRS forest fungi collection: Resource for fungal identification, developing biological controls, predicting invasive pathogens, and predicting potential impacts of climate change

Abstract

The Moscow Forestry Sciences Laboratory of the Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) has a unique collection of forest/tree-associated fungi with over 15,000 living specimens. Based in Moscow, ID, this USDA APHIS-PPQ (Plant Protection and Quarantine) containment facility houses fungal archives from approximately 35 states and 30 countries. The collection involves the work of at least 50 USDA Forest Service research scientists and collaborators over the past 30 years. Though the collection primarily focuses on species associated with Armillaria root disease from western North America, it also contains fungi such as Phellinus, Fusarium, Raffaelea, tree-root endophytes, and other fungi associated with wood decay. The RMRS Forest Pathology group and collaborating scientists continue to use and add to the collection for research on prediction of invasive pathogens, climate change, evolutionary relationships, and DNA-based identification of forest pathogens. Unfortunately, long-term maintenance of this invaluable collection is not well funded and thus this collection is not optimally maintained. With an estimated 25 percent of specimens with lost viability in the collection, the RMRS Forest Pathology laboratory continues to seek long-term solutions for stably maintaining the fungal archive collection.

Citation

Ashiglar, Sara M.; Hanna, John W.; Ross-Davis, Amy L.; Klopfenstein, Ned B. 2014. The USDA Forest Service-RMRS forest fungi collection: Resource for fungal identification, developing biological controls, predicting invasive pathogens, and predicting potential impacts of climate change. In: Chadwick, K.; Palacios, P., comps. Proceedings of the 61st Annual Western International Forest Disease Work Conference; October 6-11, 2013; Waterton Lakes National Park; AB, Canada. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Health Protection. p. 127-130.