What Do the First 597 Global Fungal Red List Assessments Tell Us about the Threat Status of Fungi?

Fungal species are not immune to the threats facing animals and plants and are thus also prone to extinction. Yet, until 2015, fungi were nearly absent on the IUCN Red List. Recent efforts to identify fungal species under threat have significantly increased the number of published fungal assessments. The 597 species of fungi published in the 2022-1 IUCN Red List update (21 July 2022) are the basis for the first global review of the extinction risk of fungi and the threats they face. Nearly 50% of the assessed species are threatened, with 10% NT and 9% DD. For regions with a larger number of assessments (i.e., Europe, North America, and South America), subanalyses are provided. Data for lichenized and nonlichenized fungi are also summarized separately. Habitat loss/degradation followed by climate change, invasive species, and pollution are the primary identified threats. Bias in the data is discussed along with knowledge gaps. Suggested actions to address these gaps are provided along with a discussion of the use of assessments to facilitate on-the-ground conservation efforts. A research agenda for conservation mycology to assist in the assessment process and implementation of effective species/habitat management is presented.

Project(s)

Priority 4: Accelerated Taxonomy

Priority 1: Ecosystem Stewardship

Funder

Funder name	Awards
Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, United Arab Emirates	202524755
Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e Inovação do Estado de Santa Catarina, Brazil / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Brazil	2020TR733