New species of fungi unknown to science discovered in Scotland's Cairngorm mountains

Among the "wild and fantastic" species discovered in the Cairngorms is a type of fungus that has never before been observed in science.A hitherto undiscovered Squamanita species was discovered as a result of the study, which involved hillwalkers gathering soil samples from some of Scotland's highest summits.In 2021, volunteers took 219 soil samples from 55 of the 58 Munros in the Cairngorms National Park at various heights.

2,748 different species of fungus organisms were found in them after DNA from the soil was collected and sequenced by scientists at the James Hutton Institute.One of these was the fungus Amanita groenlandica, an arctic species that originated in Greenland and had never before been discovered south of Scandinavia.

Another fungus, Acrodontium antarcticum, which is native to Antarctica and has never been identified in the UK before, was discovered. These two endangered species, which have never been discovered together, are reported to prefer the chilly surroundings and weather of Scotland's Cairngorms.

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Other peculiar items were discovered in the soil samples, such as the "Strangler" fungus (Squamanita contortipes), which has the power to enslave other fungi. Additionally, two Munros' grasslands included the vivid and colourful Violet Coral fungus, one of the UK's rarest grassland fungi.

Our alpine ecosystems depend heavily on fungus to function, but because they are largely subterranean and alpine habitats are inaccessible and challenging to access, we know very little about their distribution and variety in this famous setting.

The results of this study will considerably advance our understanding of this essential group thanks to the combined efforts of volunteers and scientists, and they may be used to begin determining which habitats and locations are particularly crucial for the preservation of fungal diversity.

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