Mushrooms of Panaji-the beautiful capital city of Goa, India

Mushroom diversity of Panaji
By
Ms. Charmaine De Souza and Dr. Nandkumar Kamat,
Goa University
Published in Goa Today,
Goa's Premier and Oldest English Monthly Magazine
(Vol. XLIII, No. 11, July 2009, pp. 36-38)

We’ ve found a solution to the management of biodegradable part of Panaji’s solid waste in the city itself. These are the powerful mushrooms which degrade organic matter very efficiently. We have successfully isolated and maintained biotechnologically valuable cultures. Our finding was an outcome of meticulous exploration in the city for wild mushrooms. With monsoon we would expect the mushrooms to sprout everywhere. But apart from those which are edible what do we know about their diversity?. What is their role in nature, in the wild habitats?. There is a lot of emotional investment in conservation of tigers, elephants and even frogs. But scanty attention is paid to ecologically useful fungi especially mushrooms. At Goa University we have done adequate exploration of the rural habitats. Years of research has established presence of at least 400 species of mushrooms but this may be just the tip of the biodiversity iceberg. Goa is a highly urbanized region on the west coast. Our state ranked first in the percentage of urban population during 2001 census and by the time the final figures of forthcoming 2011 census are out we may cross 60%. Therefore the question of surveying, cataloguing, documenting, conserving biodiversity of urban habitats becomes a matter of urgent importance. Our 44 towns have been carved out from original rustic landscapes. Today this original landscape lies fragmented. Panaji’s Mala ward derives its’ name from the horticultural plantations or ‘mole’ which were sustaining the farmers there. Today this ward on the slopes of Alto de guimares is densely populated. There are no horticultural plantations. But still few patches of original wild vegetation survive. In any town it makes sense to locate and conserve such patches or habitats. Exploration of urban fungal biodiversity has not figured as a priority scientific project in the world. There had been sporadic studies in some countries and almost none in India. So we decided to look at our own beautiful capital city as a test case. During 2008 we decided to explore the mushroom diversity in urban areas. The best known urban area was obviously the capital city of Panaji. We commenced the work in June 2008 by visiting different wards of Panaji and looking for mushrooms in their natural habitat - on roadside, below trees, in gardens, on lawns, on litter, sand dunes, beaches etc. And to our surprise we got very interesting results The research work done by the first author and compiled as a dissertation titled- “ DIVERSITY AND ECOLOGY OF BASIDIOMYCETES FROM GOA’S URBANISED ENVIRONMENT: A CASE STUDY OF PANAJI AND SUBURBAN AREAS”, under the guidance of second author, from Department of Botany, Goa University has been submitted to the university for a M.Sc. degree. Highlights of this research have been presented at world environment day function at WWF office this year. A small colour monograph titled ‘Mushroom wealth of Panaji city” is on the cards. Globally there is scanty attention to impact of urbanization on local microbial diversity. Macrofungi-such as mushrooms are conspicuous by their vast range of colors, shapes and sizes. These species perform a variety of ecosystem services and hence are useful as indicators of ecosystem health, integrity and functioning. Therefore we felt that a macrofungal survey of urban area can reveal several ecological factors useful in identifying and maintaining natural habitats. We need to find new ecological and biological indicators for understanding the nature and resilience of urbanized ecosystems. We were successful in the present study to identify mushrooms as useful indicators in this regard. Thes inputs are essential for better planning and management of ecological and biological resources within CCP. The mushrooms which we have catalogued in just one season clearly indicate that Panaji still has rich biological wealth which needs meticulous conservation.
Urbanization is a process of increasing of an entire population lives in cities and the suburbs of cities. It involves the movement from village to cities because of lack of economic opportunity in rural areas, political unrest, and other factors and also involves change in the migrant’s attitudes, beliefs, values and behavior patterns. A major factor affecting the environment is increase in the human population it means that there are more people than resources to meet their needs. Urban cities are relatively large and densely populated which is the opposite case in the rural cities. Habitat loss and over harvesting is the removal of organisms from the environment and having an impact on the environment itself. Land use is the dominant factor in an urban area.
By 2050 A.D, coastal areas are to be 50 % urbanized. Natural habitats in urban green areas are under heavy pressure. The urban population has increased from 21% in 1975 to nearly 28% in 2003 and it is expected that by 2015. India is the world's fifth-largest producer of global warming gas and emissions. The pollution problems are more in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. People are attracted to urban areas because they are more developed than the rural areas. There are facilities like transport services, housing and drainage facilities, as well as more production of other goods required by the urban population, which have resulted in the release of large amounts of wastes and pollutants. People’s health, productivity and their quality of life are diminishing due to the deteriorating urban environment

At present Goa, is highly urbanized state with 50% urban population in 2001, expected to reach 60% in 2011. There are three largest cities in Goa according to 2001 census; Panaji city is Goa's fastest growing city after Vasco and Margao. Panaji has a population of 59,066 (as per 2001 census) within a census area of 8.2 Sq. Kms. Open spaces, green belts and natural habitats in Panaji are under considerable pressure due to land use change, habitat modification and other human interferences. New town are now emerging from suburban pockets like Aldona, Bandora, Carapur, Covale, Goa Velha, Saligao, Sanquelim, Aquem and Davorlim. The urban growth of Panaji is spreading in the direction of Old Goa and Bambolim. The outgrowth from Porvorim is spreading to slowly merge with the expansion of Mapusa and Guirim. The urban air quality has deteriorated and the traffic system is clogged. There is genuine fear of new epidemics like leptospirosis and viral hepatitis. Urban drainage has collapsed and urban watersheds are getting converted and destroyed. There is considerably pressure on the natural ecosystems in and around the cities the mangroves and sand dunes near Panaji, the mangroves near Mapusa, the coconut orchards and the paddy fields of Margao.

Biodiversity is threatened by the human activity, which leads to the habitat loss and species extinction. There are many immediate causes like Growth of human population, Patterns of natural resource and energy consumption which involves the pressures of tourism, Global trade, Economic systems that fail to value the environment and its resources, Exploitation of wild living resources which includes hunting and wildlife trading, Expansion of agriculture, forestry and aquaculture Expansion of transport systems and building, Habitat loss; especially coral reefs, mushrooms, wetlands, primary forests and coastlines - all vulnerable and with great biodiversity, introduction of species, Pollution of soil, water and atmosphere and Global climate change. Global warming destroys the habitats of countless species leading to the edge of extinction. The forms of ecosystems are currently under assault as never before. Human beings are currently causing the greatest mass extinction of species. The Conversion of forests, grasslands, and wetlands for agricultural purposes and the growth of urban centers and the building of dams and canals, highways, and railways have changed the ecosystems. If the government fails to take action in due course of time, all the species on earth will be extinct in less than the 1000 years as the result of human activities.

Our exploration led us to the following locations within CCP:-Bus Stand, Around Market, Inox Complex, Boca De Vaca, Opp Directorate Of Tourism, Patto, ALTINHO: Officers Qtrs, Electricity Qtrs, Joggers Park, Nr. Rto Office, CEC Office, Military Camp, ArchBishops Palace, Around CM’s Residence, Goa State Guest House, ITI Office, Mala, Fontainhas Slope. CAMPAL: Childrens’ Park, Kala Academy, Indoor Stadium. MIRAMAR sand dunes and Beach.

MUSHROOM HABITATS OF PANAJI:
Panaji has fragmented habitats; there is negligible patches of old tree/vegetation cover except small parts of Altinho slopes. Mushroom habitats included Grasslands, gardens and lawns, humus rich Soil, living and dying trees, tree roots, wooden logs, twigs, branches, decaying plant litter, sand dunes, herbivore dung, termite hills.

Mushroom biodiversity of Panaji at a glance

Collection of mushrooms began in June and continued till December 2008 and about 15-20 locations were surveyed. 19 basidiomycetes families, 72 species (compared to all Goa diversity of about 400 mushroom species) were identified. Majority of mushroom species collected were saprotrophic (which decay dead organic litter and release nutrients to soil) , followed by nectrotrophic (which attack wounds on living trees or aged and dying trees) and biotrophic (which partner with plants, algae or insects for mutual benefit ) species. Details of some interesting species have been given in the table. Interestingly we found edible species such as Macrolepiota, Pleurotus, Termitomyces, Volvariella in Panaji’s urban habitats. However, we don’t recommend any reader or citizen to pick up any wild mushroom for consumption. Wrong identity may lead to poisoning. Many species such as Agaricus augustus, are relatively rare in Goa but have found a sanctuary in Panaji. This is remarkable because rural areas of Goa are blindly imitating a model of unrestricted and haphazard urbanization and really don ‘t know what they are losing in this landscape transformation. We think that citizens of Panaji need to take their city’s mushroom wealth seriously.

MUSHROOM DIVERSITY OF CITY OF PANAJI, 2008-2009

Mushroom Species
Scientific name and (common name) Location
Agaricus augustus
[The prince] Market- Panaji

Agaricus tax.sp.I
[ gilled mushroom] Campal – Miramar area

Agaricus tax.sp.II
[ gilled mushroom] Altinho
Chlorophyllum molybdites
[green spored parasol] Altinho
Cystolepiota tax.sp. I
. Altinho
Lepiota cristata
[ brown eyed parasol] Campal – Miramar area

Leucoagaricus Altinho
Macrolepiota rhacodes
[shaggy parasol] Altinho
Macrolepiota puellaris
Altinho
Amanita tax.sp.I
[death cap] Altinho
Termitomyces microcarpus F. Longiradiata Altinho
Termitomyces clypeatus Altinho
Coprinus tax.sp.I
[Inky Caps] Campal – Miramar area

Coprinus comatus
[Shaggy Mane] Campal – Miramar area

Hygrophorus tax.sp.I
[waxy caps] Patto, Panaji Bus Stand

Hygrophorus tax.sp.II
[waxy caps] Altinho
Volvariella volvaceae
[straw mushroom] Altinho
Volvariella tax.sp.II [straw mushroom] Altinho
Pholiota tax.sp.II
[terrestrial pholiota] Campal – Miramar area

Calocybe cerina
Altinho
Clitocybe gibba
[ funnel cap] Altinho
Collybia dryophila
[Common collybia; oak loving collybia] Campal – Miramar area

Collybia distorta Campal – Miramar area

Lepista nuda
[ Blewit] Campal – Miramar area

Lepista nuda
[ Blewit] Campal – Miramar area

Lyophyllum tax.sp.I
[white spored mushroom] Campal – Miramar area

Marasmius tax.sp.III Altinho
Mycena leaianade Althinho
Mycena tax.sp.I Campal – Miramar area

Boletus aestavalis
[summer king] Altinho
Boletus goanensis Altinho
Clavulina tax.sp.I
[ coral mushroom] Campal – Miramar area

Ganoderma lucidium
[varnished conk] Patto, Panaji Bus Stand

Ganoderma lucidium
[varnished conk] Market- Panaji
Ganoderma appalnatum
[artist conk] Campal – Miramar area

Ramaria tax.sp.I
[coral fungi] Altinho
Bovista plumbea [Puff Ball] Campal – Miramar area

Bovista plumbea
[Puff Ball] Campal – Miramar area

Phallus impudicus
[Stinkhorn] Altinho
Pleurotus cystidiosus
[Oyster mushroom] Campal – Miramar area

Polyporus arcularis
[Fringed Polypore] Campal – Miramar area

Schizophyllum commune
[Split Gill] Altinho
Pisolithus albus
[Puff Ball] Patto, Panaji Bus Stand

Thelephora palmata
[Fetid False Coral] Campal – Miramar area



Ecological importance of Panaji’s mushrooms

There is mycorrhizal association i.e., the relationship between fungus and plant. Fungus gets carbon from plant and plant gets phosphorus from mycorrhizae. We found that mushrooms species such as Pisolithus, Ramaria help the trees in Panaji to establish well.
Saprotrophic species mineralize organic matter and return nutrients to soil, environment.
Biotrophic species have complex and mutually beneficial relationship with plants and insects. The large number of saprotrophic species shwed us that these are Panaji’s natural composting agents. Our estimate is that every year hundreds of tones of dead plant matter is transformed by the mycelium of these mushrooms in the soil and these nutrients enrich the soil of the city. Nectrotrophic species are opportunistic pathogens, sometimes they kill the trees. So now we can even recommend the action to be taken so that these unwanted pathogens could be eliminated.

Economic importance of mushrooms:

We identified several species which are biotechnologically useful. Many species like Pleurotus, Volvariella and Lepista nuda can be cultivated. Besides we were successful in isolating 31 cultures from as many species. These cultures are our way of ensuring’ ex situ conservation’ of the genetic resources of the city. Many of these are medicinally important.
Significance of this work:
This is the pioneer study on urban mushroom diversity in Goa and India. A species new to Goa was identified in our work e.g. Macrolepiota puellaris. We also suspect that we have come across a few more novel species. Information on these is being compiled for scientific papers. That would really make Panaji a haven of urban mushroom biodiversity. Surveys again this year are likely to reveal more mushroom wealth.

Mushroom biodiversity conservation:

There is need to conserve the natural habitats in situ. The CCP and citizens need to compost plant litter in the same place instead of burning. We need to protect existing tree cover especially old trees with large canopy covers. There is need to conserve existing sand dunes, grasslands, open places, vegetated areas, vegetated slopes and green patches at Altinho, Campal, and Miramar etc. We would be presenting a detail “Sustainable mushroom biodiversity ecoconservation action plan to the Mayor of CCP” soon. We welcome local city NGOs to come forward to know more about this work and its’ long term significance and relevance in the discourse on sustainable urbanization and biodiversity management.
We would also upload image gallery and showcase our work for public education and environmental/biodiversity awareness on our blog-http://www.mushroomsofgoa.blogspot.com.
We acknowledge the help from UGC-SAP project of Botany department which made this work possible.