EPaper

WEIRD SCIENCE

Keep an eye out for this rare fungus

HANNA PETERSEN

The public is once again needed to help document a rare and unique-looking fungus called sarcosoma globosum — more commonly known as witches cauldron — that’s been seen around Prince George.

Michael Preston, an assistant professor with the ecosystem science and management program at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) has been studying the fungus since it was spotted in the region last year.

He’s in the process of officially documenting its existence in the region as the fungus, which is normally found in northern Europe, is so rare and unique that it has not been formally identified in B.C.

Preston created a survey asking the public to send him photographs and GPS coordinates if they spotted witches cauldron so he could document it and include it in his research.

He said he thought the survey would garner maybe three or four responses, but has received hundreds since it was launched last year.

“That is really encouraging that people are interested in mycology and it was the most heartwarming thing that I could ever imagine,” said Preston. “But everybody gets excited about it. You know, it’s a weird-looking mushroom, and we don’t know what it does, and it has a really cool name.”

Very little is known about this rare fungus and Preston is trying to answer some big questions regarding its presence in the region – does it appear in the same places every year and what exactly is its ecological role?

“It’s really encouraging they are coming back when conditions are right,” said Preston, noting that he’s already started receiving new reports of witches cauldron popping up near Prince George.

“What I am trying to do is get data again this year that we can add to our study that we have already compiled, and then we will publish that in the scientific literature in the coming months.”

Preston said since he began his research, he’s received reports of witches cauldron as far north as Highland River Provincial Park near the Yukon border, as far west as Houston, as far south as Quesnel and as far east as Jasper National Park. Of all the responses he’s received only one sighting was found in a provincially protected area the rest were found on private land or designated cutblocks, which Preston says is notable because the number one cause of concern for witches cauldron is loss of habitat.

However, in two instances witches cauldron was spotted in forests logged in the 1950s, which is a significant finding because the small amount of research that exists indicated witches cauldron was only found in old growth forests.

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2022-05-12T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-12T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://princegeorgecitizen.pressreader.com/article/281539409551117

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