Diversity of Hedgehog Mushrooms (Hydnum) in the Eastern United States- Great Smoky Mountains National Park Data

Swenie, Rachel

Summary of proposed field methods and activities: I plan to visit ten sites in the Great Smoky Mountains NP, as well as one in each of the Big South Fork NRA and Obed Wild & Scenic River to collect Hydnum mushrooms during fruiting season (late May-mid November). The choice of field sites is intended to expand sampling to cover the greatest variety of habitats and forest types possible. In the field, macrochemical tests will be performed to assess reactivity. All collections will be fully documented photographically, and detailed notes containing morphological and ecological data about each collection will be gathered. Back in the lab (at the University of Tennessee and/or Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center), tissue cultures will be generated from fresh mushrooms on Petri dishes, and spore prints will be made. DNA extraction and sequencing will be performed to generate genetic data from collected specimens. Sequence alignment will be produced using AliView. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference will be used to assemble a robust phylogeny which will allow species delimitation. In addition, I will actively engage students and other volunteers provided by the Park Service in my research by training them in these field collection techniques. Students/volunteers will accompany me into the field and learn how to identify fungi and employ research best practices for specimen and data collection. I also plan to hold a workshop in basic fungal microscopy at the Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center for any interested individuals (as described in a later section of this application).