Ancient Fungi Captured in Amber

Authors

George Poinar
Oregon State University
DOI: https://doi.org/10.47909/978-9916-9906-6-7.6

Synopsis

Fungi are ubiquitous organisms such as saprophytes, parasites and inquilines on dead plants and animals. The roles they play in our lives are substantial. Not only do they break down organic matter in the environment and are widespread parasites of plants and animals, including our own bodies, but they are important food items and components of fermentation in many industrial processes. Last but not least, they produce antibiotic drugs like Penicillin and are involved in the production of lysergic drugs such as acid diethylamide (LSD) which is synthesized from an Ergot fungus
alkaloid.

Chapters

  • Amber sources of fossil fungi
  • Origins and types of fossil fungi in amber
  • Look-alikes in amber
  • Using fungi as a source of nourishment
  • Pathogenic fungi
  • Bracket fungi, truffles and other perfect fungi
  • Leaf, seed, nematode-associated and human-beneficial fungi

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Published

2 December 2023

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Copyright (c) 2023 The publisher owns the copyright over the full book; while authors retain copyright over their individual chapters.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.