Threats
The chief threats facing fungi are habitat loss and pollution:•
habitat loss or change is probably the prime factor in the loss of, or threat
to, the majority of our less common fungi. The felling of ancient woodland
or veteran trees commonly arouse concern, but how often is thought given to
the loss of the dependent fungi? When ancient grasslands are ploughed and
reseeded, not only are flowering herbs lost but so are a host of fungi. Even
ceasing to graze ancient pasture and mowing it instead may have profound effects
on the ability of fungi to survive. • the term pollution
may encompass not only inadvertent air or water borne exhaust gases and leachates,
but the increased use of fertiliser to encourage better plant growth has a
knock-on effect on their fungi. These adverse impacts can replace a high density
of diverse fungi in the soil or on the roots of vasculat plants with just
two or three common widespread, and hence successful, ‘weedy’ species.
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