Fungal & Decay Diagnostics LLC - Fungal Biology & Ecology

Assess and explain aspects of fungi as they may be related to issues encountered by manufacturers, attorneys, builders, government agencies, retailers, homeowners and other public or private entities:

How fungi cause different types of decay:

Example 3 Example 4

Formation and impact of mycorrhizal relationships:

Example 1 Example 9

Volvariella bombycina

Impact and role of alternate hosts in rust fungi:

Example 5

Spore discharge and distribution of fungi:

Example 6

Nutritional and environmental impacts on mildew:

Example 2

Inform and advise non-mycologically-trained professionals

Provide information for use in litigation and depositions

Amanita muscaria

Example 1: Provide information on mushroom toxicity for poison control centers and health professionals.

Amanita muscaria
(a mycorrhizal species)

Example 2: Advise attorneys or homeowners on the biology and environmental factors affecting the growth of mildews on wood surfaces and finishes.

Aureobasidium pullulans

Tree on house

Example 3: Provide advice to attorneys or homeowners on biological aspects of decay that may cause tree failure.

Brown root-rot resulted in tree failure

Example 4: Evaluate and make recommendations regarding park or yard trees attacked by decay fungi.

Park tree wound with major heart-rot

Assist homeowners with tree disease problems

Example 5: Juniper tree infected with cedar apple rust. Innocuous disease caused by spores from apple trees in neighborhood.

Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae

Example 6: American elm infected by
Ophiostoma ulmi, probably resulting from spores
carried by a bark beetle. Flagging indicates
that the tree will probably die within 2 years.

Dutch elm disease

Interpret fungal interactions with trees and other plants

Interpret and explain the significance of mycological phenomena such as fairy rings, slime mold appearance, plant diseases and mycorrhizal associations.

Black knot of cherry

Thelephora terrestris

Example 7

Example 8

Example 9

Example 10

Agaricus bitorquis causes a fairy ring by growing out in all directions from the original inoculum in the grass. The grass will recover and turn green.

Black knot of cherry
caused by
Apiosporina morbosa.
It is unsightly
but largely innocuous

Mycorrhizal association between pine seedling and Thelephora terestris --
necessary association for vigorous growth
of trees.

Fuligo septica (a slime mold sometimes called The Blob) is frequently found in wood chip mulch. It lives on bacteria and other surface contaminants and is not dangerous to humans.