that change with succession. Similar changes occur with natural disturbances such as 

 fire. Because forested communities in the Blue Mountains are closely associated with 

 disturbance, especially fire, these changes in fungal populations should be considered 

 a normal process. 



To date, there is no indication that heavy harvesting of mycorrhizal fungi fruiting bod- 

 ies has a detrimental effect on the remnant vegetative structure or the fungal-root 

 relations in the soil. 



Monitoring Monitoring of diversity, production, and harvest of edible mushrooms was not included 



in the forest plans of any of the National Forests in the Blue Mountains. The impor- 

 tance of this resource in both value and the heavy recreational use it generates 

 warrants more than passive management. Monitoring of the resource is needed to 

 assure that land management practices are not affecting this ecosystem component. 

 In some cases, there may be decisions to actively manipulate sites to promote mush- 

 room production. Molina and others ( 1 993) recommend three types of monitoring 

 applicable to wild edible fungi. 



1 . Detection monitoring is needed to provide a benchmark for future comparisons of 

 mushroom diversity and abundance. This type of monitoring should tie mushroom 

 information to existing databases, preferably on ecology plots where various other 

 site and vegetation data already exist. The different mushroom fruiting periods and 

 the often short-lived duration of fruiting present a challenge. Some sites also would 

 need to be established as controls, where harvest is restricted. Selected sites 

 could be revisited in successive years to determine annual variation. Given 

 enough plots, information could be extracted on site and vegetation factors that 

 influence fruiting. 



2. Evaluation monitoring should occur when detection monitoring indicates a declining 

 population or resource. Evaluation monitoring is designed to determine the extent 

 and cause of the effect. Evaluation monitoring also can include studies that evalu- 

 ate strategies for continued mushroom production. Determining the effects of 

 different timber harvest strategies, wildfire and prescribed fire, plant succession, 

 and commercial mushroom harvest all are included in evaluation monitoring. 



3. Research monitoring is designed to provide detailed information on forest ecosys- 

 tems at intensive research sites where long-term studies are already in place. 



Research Needs There are several morel and other wild mushroom research questions that pertain to 



the Blue Mountains. Land managers are most interested in monitoring and research 

 that eventually will help direct management decisions (Pilz and Molina 1996). 



Mushroom production differs not only from year to year because of weather condi- 

 tions, but also between locations because of various site, disturbance, vegetation, and 

 other conditions. Treatments to enhance mushroom production likely will be incorpo- 

 rated in future land management strategies. Initiation of monitoring and inventory 

 procedures are expected to help managers predict production and regulate this re- 

 source. There are several research needs associated with selecting management 

 strategies for short- and long-term mushroom production. The most important re- 

 search questions include; 



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