Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.2005, Page 69

Coprophilous fungi from
the Faroe Islands
Michael J. Ricliardson
165 Braid Road, Edinburgh EHIO 6JE U.K. Telephone 0131 447 8165, Email: nijrichardson@clara.net
Úrtak
59 sløg av taðfrekum soppum eru skrásett úr 20
taðsýnum, ið eru tikin í Føroyum, og sum eru ald
í ráligum kømrum. Nógv nýggj sløg eru funnin fyri
fyrstu ferð í Føroyum. Fleiri sløg eru funnin í sýnum,
sum eru tikin av seyða- og harusparlum, og eru tey tikin
á 7 ymsum støðum. Greiningar av hesum sløgum hava
gjørt tað møguligt at gera ein partleysan samanburð av
soppamegninum í tveimum ymsum sløgum av tøðum
og til at vísa, at liesi megn eru týðiliga ymisk, hóast
tey stava frá sama búøki.
Abstract
Fifty-nine species of coprophilous fungi are recorded
from 20 dung samples collected from the Faroe Islands
and incubated in moist chambers. Many new records
for the Faroe Islands are reported. Analysis of the
species occurring on pairs of sheep and hare samples
collected from seven different localities have allowed
an objective comparison of the mycobiota on two
different dung types to be made, and the demonstration
that they are clearly different, although derived from
the same habitat.
Introduction
During a visit to the Faroe Islands in June
2004, 20 samples of herbivore dung were
collected and, on return to the UK, incu-
bated in damp chambers. The coprophil-
ous fungi which developed were recorded.
Details of the fungi developing on the
samples are provided and discussed. Some
coprophils are more or less ubiquitous,
while others are more likely to be found
on some dung types than on others (e.g.
van Brummelen, 1967; Lundqvist, 1972;
Richardson, 2001), but such conclusions
have been drawn from general observa-
tions, rather than from a study of different
substrates collected from the same locality
and habitat. In eight of the localities sam-
pled both hare and sheep were present, so
the animals were grazing the same vegeta-
tion. Comparison of the species occurring
on the paired samples from sheep and hare
allowed the mycobiota of the two different
dung types to be compared directly.
Material and methods
Samples were collected between 18 and 23
June 2004 (Table 1). Most were wet when
collected, and were gently air-dried and
placed in paper envelopes. Samples were
rehydrated and incubated on 24 June 2004
on moist paper towelling, in plastic boxes
with lightly fitting transparent lids, under
ambient light and at room temperature (ca
15-18°C). Care was taken to ensure that
cultures were not too wet. Samples were
generally of similar size, with incubation
chambers 10 x 7 cm, which accommodate
approx. 2-4 g D.W. (= 15 sheep or hare
Fróðskaparrit 53. bók 2005: 67-81