RCN: Fungal Environmental Sampling and Informatics Network

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The fungi are an ecologically important group of organisms that directly impact human health and the health of our ecosystems and agriculture, through a wide range of mutualistic and parasitic interactions. However, fungi are difficult to identify and enumerate in ecological settings, and this problem has limited our ability to study their ecological interactions. The primary objective of the Fungal Environmental Sampling and Informatics Network (FESIN) is to facilitate the study of fungi in environmental settings by improving identification tools and resources available to scientists who are not trained in fungal taxonomy. FESIN will achieve that objective through a series of meetings that focus on coordinating the development of molecular identification tools and databases for fungi. The tools and database resources that will be developed through FESIN will provide rapid identification methods for fungal pathogens and mutualists and will help scientists to dissect the functioning of complex ecosystems. FESIN is structured also to facilitate the training of young scientists and to develop long-term interactions between the disciplines of ecology and fungal biology. In addition, FESIN will facilitate public outreach at multiple levels in order to improve public understanding of critical environmental roles of fungi.