A fungus-free summer season in Swiss forests – rts.ch
Whereas the season for chanterelles, boletes and different porcini mushrooms needs to be in full swing, mushrooms are nowhere to be discovered at first of September in Swiss forests. A scenario that drives scientists and mushroom growers to despair.
Regardless of greater than 35 years of expertise, Pierre-André Warpelin, novice mycologist, has unearthed solely 5 mushrooms because the starting of summer season in a nook of the forest he is aware of effectively, in Crans-Montana (VS). “For me it is unprecedented. I’ve had a bit of dry years, however this 12 months it is actually distinctive,” he testifies Monday within the 7:30 p.m.
Cancellation of the cantonal mycology pageant
This 12 months, the cantonal mycology pageant, which ought to have been held on the primary weekend of September, even needed to be canceled in Valais.
“The target was to have the ability to current round 300 species of mushrooms in an academic method. However given the drought, we may solely have counted on round thirty species”, confides Stéphane Michellod, president of the mycological circle of Entremont.
Scientists fearful concerning the forest
If the absence of mushrooms within the forest is heartbreaking for mushroom growers, they aren’t the one ones to be fearful. As a result of mushrooms play an essential function within the biodiversity of the forest. Jean-Marie Putallaz, forest engineer on the State of Valais, is anxious to see the episodes of drought multiply sooner or later.
“It’s clear that timber develop a lot better when they’re in symbiosis with a fungus. So if we do not have a fungus, we are going to in all probability have progress slowdowns, and even the disappearance of sure species of crops. “, he defined within the 7:30 p.m.
Thriller for scientists
Regardless of every part, it’s troublesome to know the precise affect of a protracted absence of mushrooms on the well being of the forest. As a result of if the hyperlinks between timber and fungi exist, they’re troublesome to breed within the laboratory and subsequently hold an excessive amount of thriller for scientists. “What we will say is that the forest is extra confused when there is no such thing as a mushroom”, signifies Nicolo Tartini, biologist specializing in fungi, on the microphone of the RTS.
Along with fires and drought, the shortage of fungi subsequently dangers additional aggravating the state of well being of the forest.
Ainhoa Ibarrola
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