Macrofungi of the Coast Redwood Forests in northern California

Date:

15^th April 2008

Time:

12:00 – 1:00pm

Location:

CairnsA21.002, Townsville- DA009-002

Presenter:

David L. Largent - Professor Emeritus of Botany, Humboldt State University California, USA

Abstract:

/Sequoia sempervirens/ (D.Don) Endl., the Coast Redwood, is endemic to the Western U.S.A and is located in a narrow strip of land along the Pacific Coast region from SW Oregon (Curry Co.) to California (Monterey Co). The last remaining extensive stand of old growth Coast Redwood in California, the Headwaters Reserve, was purchased by the federal and state governments in 1999. From 1999 to 2003, a study was conducted of the macrofungi in the Headwaters Reserve with the primary objective being to provide a species list of macrofungi for the entire Reserve and as of 2003, 838 species of macrofungi were identified. A secondary objective was to provide baseline data correlating the species with the various vegetation types identified in the Reserve based on a non-statistical analysis of observations made of the different species. In the concluding remarks, mention will be made of an ongoing study of the fungi of the Redwoods National Park that has been conducted since 1993.

Contact:

Sandra Abell, Lecturer School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University Cairns Campus