300077 UE Systematics and ecology of macromycetes (2025S)

The course will be held in presence.

Targets: The students have deepened and special theoretical and practical knowledge of the native large fungi and are able to apply the learned methods independently and communicate their results.
The students have gained an insight into the diversity of the mushrooms and their habitats. They know their most important groups of characteristics and are able to use technical literature (identification keys) for identification of the fungi. They know the different trophic groups of mushrooms and their role in the environment and in food webs. They know the problems of mushroom poisoning as well as nature and species protection and know how to collect mushrooms responsibly.
Content:
+ Introduction to the diversity of the native mushrooms
+ Introduction to the systematics of mushrooms
+ Knowledge of different habitats of fungi
+ Collection and determination technology, microscopy
+ Documentation, analysis and presentation of find data
+ Ecological importance of large fungi, especially in forest ecosystems, trophic groups, mycorrhiza research
+ Poisonous and edible mushrooms

Method:
Three half-day excursions and one full-day excursion to different site types (mainly forests) around Vienna, guided field work (collecting activity), in the afternoon theoretical basics and processing of the collections (introductory lectures on the course topics, determination, analysis and documentation of the mushroom finds by drawing, description, photography), microscopic analysis and determination with the help of determination keys, data input into standardized tables, evaluation according to systematic and trophic groups, find reviews. The last two days of the course are reserved for independent analysis and presentation of the data obtained, working in small groups.

Security risk:
Usual risk of a field excursion. Please ensure that you wear suitable footwear and clothing during your stay outdoors! Austria is one of the areas in Europe most affected by TBE (early summer meningo-encephalitis) (http://zecken.at/verbreitung-der-zecke/#oesterreich), which is why there is a corresponding vaccination recommendation for Austria!
In the course room handle with slides, tweezers, dissection needle, razor blade.
Costs: public transport on three days (2 exc. core zone Vienna and 1 x Rekawinkel), a minibus excursion (approx. 6,- Euro).