_A short guide for the beginner mycologist_ Are you interested in mushrooms, but don't know how to proceed? In the following texts, you will find tips for identifying, photographing, and microscopic examination of fungi. ## Identification Most fungal research begins with identification. To study mushrooms, we must first identify them. Subsequently, we can connect to the knowledge in the identification (ID) guides and on the Internet. In general, I recommend focusing on the scientific (mostly Latin or Greek) names of mushrooms (e.g. _Amanita muscaria_)—this way you can avoid misunderstandings stemming from common names. This will make it easier to find and discuss the fungus with mycologists from around the world. ### Mushroom identification diagram I prepared a simple diagram that represents my identification process. I will go through each part in the further parts of this text separately. ![[identification procedure.png]] ### Studying mushrooms Firstly, I would recommend to learn what are the names of different parts of the mushroom. Familiarise yourself with terms such as cap (pileus), stem (stipe), gill, pore, ring, and volva. This will come in handy when you start looking up information in identification guides. When identifying, it is important to thoroughly inspect the mushroom and its surroundings. Try answering these questions: * What does the mushroom grow on? (ground, dead wood, tree, insects, etc.) * What is the habitat like? What plants are nearby (trees, shrubs, grass)? What is the type of the soil? * What is its structure? Does it have gills, pores, or something else? How are the gills attached? Does the mushroom have a volva? * What colors does it have? Do they change when the mushroom is bruised/cut? * How does it smell? *(this is important to note immediately, since the smell may change over time or vanish)* A set of answers to these questions—documentation with photos is a great start for the identification process. Over time you will learn which features are important with which genera, but for starters, it is best to notice as much as you can. ### Photography We can often help ourselves in identification with a good photo as a reference for further examination. All you need is a mobile phone and a sufficiently bright environment. It is preferred to take photos in daylight because artificial lighting often disturbs the color balance of the photos and makes identification much harder. I recommend to photograph the mushrooms so that we see not only the cap but also the pores/gills (_hymenium_), the base, and the original habitat—as separate photos. If the situation allows, we can place different developmental stages of the fungus into one photo as it improves the understanding of the mushroom morphology further. The photographs then serve either as good references for identification at home or via the Internet. And if you have just discovered a mushroom yet unknown to the scientific world, you will have great documentation of your findings. ![[Psilocybe serbica.jpg]] For people interested in mushroom photography, I recommend an SLR or mirrorless camera, macro lens, and tripod. The camera part is self-explanatory and there are many options for different budget brackets. Macro lenses are necessary to capture a high amount of detail with smaller specimens. Even though the mushrooms do not move, it is often necessary to use relatively high apertures to get the mushroom completely in focus. Higher aperture combined with using lower ISO to avoid noise results in long exposure times and that requires a stable mount for the camera—so I consider the tripod to be an essential part of the process. ![[mushroom photography.jpeg]] I take 95% of [my mushroom photography](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&taxon_id=47170&user_id=jonasgruska&verifiable=any) using the [focus bracketing/stacking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focus_stacking) method. It is an advanced technique based on taking many (sometimes even 50+) photos with lower aperture (better optical performance) and faster shutter speeds at different focal distances. These are then consequently combined via software into one sharp image with great depth of field. Good focus stacking programs that I use are ([Zerene Stacker](https://zerenesystems.com) or [Helicon Focus](https://www.heliconsoft.com/heliconsoft-products/helicon-focus/)). If you want to learn more, I recommend [lectures by Alan Rockefeller](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06FnUUrjhSU). ### Identification guides At the beginning of determining mushrooms, I recommend looking around the local identification book (atlas). For Europe, I highly recommend the two-volume atlas **Fungi of Temperate Europe** (Jens H. Petersen and Thomas Laessoe) - one of the best and most comprehensive atlases for our region. If you are just a beginner, you can ask your local mycological club for the best book. #### Online identification guides The Internet can also serve as an identification guide or mushroom counseling. Most of the international websites in English are based around American fungi, but European countries tend to have their local communities online. For example, in Germany, you'll find a website named [123pilzsuche.de](http://123pilzsuche.de) or [Pilzforum](https://www.pilzforum.eu/board/), in the Czech Republic it will be [mykologie.net](http://mykologie.net), in Slovakia [nahuby.sk](http://nahuby.sk) and so on. ### Applications I generally do not recommend applications for determining fungi, because most of them do not work well enough. One exception would be [iNaturalist](https://inaturalist.org), which is great for beginners, many times offering a useful tip on where to start looking in the identification guide. Of course, this cannot be relied on, the eyes of an expert or the control in the identification guide cannot be replaced. Especially if you are considering the toxicity of fungi, proper 100% accurate identification is crucial, and **misidentification can be fatal**. Findings can also be saved in the iNaturalist database and, after correctly determined, have a scientific value—the record serves as a data point for biodiversity research. Mapping biodiversity on our planet is one of the main goals of the project. By the way, iNaturalist can be not only used to identify mushrooms but also animals and plants. ### Consulting and mycological clubs Many district cities across Europe have their own mycological consulting facility or a mycological club. I recommend checking them out. You will find there are willing and nice people who will be happy to advise you on the identification, or they may even take you to the forest for a mycological walk or a lecture. To find these you can contact the mycological society in your country. #### Online consulting on Facebook Specialized groups on Facebook are a great place to identify and discuss fungi online. You will find experienced mycologists who are willing to determine and advise you in their free time. Make sure you respect their voluntary work by providing good information and photos, as discussed in the [[DIY mycology#Studying mushrooms]] part. [Mushroom Identification](https://www.facebook.com/groups/MushID) [Advanced Mushroom Identification & Discussion](https://www.facebook.com/groups/AdvancedMushroomID) ### Collecting mushrooms for identification The classic basket is not very suitable for mycological harvest—mushrooms can easily be crushed and ruined that way. Small specimens can fall through holes, and the spores of one fungus can get into another. Mycologists, therefore, use small plastic boxes with compartments for collection, similar to what you will find for sorting screws in a workshop. If you don't have anything like that, sometimes an egg carton or a cardboard box is enough. However, if you plan to examine the spores of the mushrooms, it is important to keep the specific species apart from each other—you can for example wrap them in aluminum foil. The foil also helps with protection of the fragile specimens. Remember that to identify a mushroom, it must be in the best possible condition, intact, and with a full stem—this is often an important identifying feature. ![[mushroom box.jpeg]] If you want to preserve the fungi for further study, it is important to dry them. In certain climates, it is enough to place them on a windowsill, but if you want to be safe it is better to use warm airflow. For preserving the DNA structures, it is recommended to stay below 60 degrees Celsius. Mushrooms need to be "cracker-dry" for long-term storage, otherwise they may be ruined by mold. For long-term storage, specimens are usually stored in envelopes made from folded pieces of paper. I use zip-lock bags for practical reasons, but there is a higher chance of mold with those when specimens are not 100% dry before storage. ## Advanced study of mushrooms For some species, macroscopic (color, shape, odor...) observation is not enough. With a large part of fungi, this is simply because they are physically small, but even large fungi species can only differ at the microscopic level. ### Microscopy Microscopy is an essential part of identifying some species of fungi. The shape and size of spores or _cystidia_ are important features that are not visible without the use of magnifiers. For microscopy of fungi, it is necessary to have at least a magnification of 600 to 1000 times, since fungal spores are often only a few micrometers. A sufficiently good microscope can be obtained for as little as € 200-300. ![[spores.jpg]] Rehydration chemicals such as KOH (potassium hydroxide), various reagents (for determination), or stainers are often used for microscopy—to increase the contrast of the viewed specimens. For the beginner, an ordinary dropper with water will suffice. Microscopic photography is relatively easy with a smartphone. You can just attach your smartphone eyepiece and focus. However, if you want to measure sizes, one way is to "calibrate" this arrangement (phone and microscope) using a calibration slide and then maintain the same distance from the eyepiece (for example, using a self-made spacer). This can be tricky and may not even work accurately enough. A safer way for phone microscopic photography is using an eyepiece with a ruler inside. For advanced microscopic photography, some microscopes have a special mount for mounting a camera or a camera can be mounted in one of the oculars. More info about mushroom microscopy: * [Alan Rockefeller: Fungal Microscopy](https://youtu.be/WsZC4rEfNic) (video) * [Mushroom Microscopy](https://www.mushroomexpert.com/microscope.html) * [Cheap DIY microscopes](https://civiclaboratory.nl/2016/08/06/diy-microscopes/) Software for microscopic measurements on a computer: [Piximeters](http://ach.log.free.fr/Piximeters/) (Windows) [ImageJ](https://imagej.nih.gov/ij/) (Windows, Mac, Linux, web) ### Genetic analysis Fungal sequencing is a standard practice in modern mycology. In practice, this means that a small piece of the fungus is analyzed in a specialized laboratory, resulting in a DNA sequence reading. The lab doesn't analyze the whole sequence, but only the parts (regions) that have been evaluated as significant by experience. Subsequently, these regions are compared via Internet services such as [BLAST](https://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi) ("search engine") and [GenBank](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genbank/) (database), where similarity is sought with other records. As a result, it is possible to determine the genetic link to other fungal species—the so-called phylogenetic tree. If the reading doesn't match any existing sequences significantly, in some cases this can lead to the discovery of a new species. If you want to try this procedure in Europe, [Alvalab.es](http://alvalab.es) offers genetic analysis for about 17 € / species. ## Recommended introductory reading about mushrooms * Merlin Sheldrake - Entangled Life (also published in Czech) * Peter McCoy - Radical Mycology: A Treatise on Seeing & Working with Fungi * Paul Stamets - Mycelium running ## Recommended channels on Youtube * [Learn your land](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcbf8wnyVJl631LAmAbo7nw) (mushroom picking, medicinal and edible species) * [Old Man of the Woods](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDsIHcvB9r3RFRIpMetjocw) (mushroom collection) * [Wild Food UK](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO6CqGDjDyzsPpDnoRU5pjg) (mushroom picking) * [Česká Mykologická Společnost](https://www.youtube.com/@ceskamykologickaspolecnost7025) (lectures in Czech)