Monitoring of protected fungi species by methods of modern information technologies

INTRODUCTION

The emergence of smart Internet resources and the improvement of electronic mobile devices have proved to be very useful for performing various scientific applied tasks, for example, for documenting biological observations in nature.The most significant are open access online platforms that accumulate information about biodiversity and provide it to everyone, for example: Global Biodiversity Information Facility, The Biodiversity Heritage Library, the multifunctional network storage of biological material National Depository Bank of Live Systems"Noah's Ark" etc. Of particular interest are resources that combine, on the one hand, a platform for collecting scientific data on biodiversity, and, on the other hand, a means of communication between people who collect and analyze this data, including projects that are often presented as "citizen science", for example: Mushroom Observer [Wilson, Hollinger et al. 2006-present], iNaturalist [iNaturalist, 2022]. The most popular resource among nature lovers is iNaturalist [iNaturalist, 2022], which is based on the concept of mapping and sharing observations of biodiversity around the world.At the moment, iNaturalist cannot be considered as a good mobile tool for identifying fungi in the field as well as a reliable way to determination based on photographs with the help of experts, since in most cases many different characters (including microstructures) are needed for accurate identification, and photographs of fruit bodies are clearly insufficient.Nevertheless, the program can be successfully used for the certain tasks in the study of fungi[Filippova et al., 2022; Sheehan, 2021].

WHAT FUNGI RESEARCH TASKS CAN BE PERFORMED WITH THE INATURALIST PLATFORM?

1. Photodocumentation and mapping of finds. In general, it is suitable for any find of fungal species. However, the implementation of this task is most appropriate in the case of working with rare and well-recognized species from photographs.
2. Accumulation of observations of a designated group of species in any designated area, using filters or organizing special project inside iNaturalist, for example Funga of Tula Oblast [Funga…, 2021], FunDiS West Coast Rare Fungi Challenge [FunDis, 2021].
3. Revealing of new species localities through the activities of amateur naturalists, as well as by involving students, schoolchildren and their parents in posting data and discussing findings.
4. Organizing the specimen collection based on the obtained coordinates of the finds.Thanks to the data on new locations, it is easy to organize special expeditions with students or schoolchildren to "hot spots", or to involve amateurs to collection of specimens.
5. Use as a database of finds, excursion routes, geobotanical descriptions of sample plots, as well as a kind of repository of "voucher" photographs
6. Monitoring the appearance of fruiting bodies (phenology) of species confidently identified from photographs

HOW CAN INATURALIST BE USED FOR MONITORING OF SPECIES INCLUDED IN THE RED DATA BOOK? WHAT INDICATORS CAN BE ASSESSED?

1. Number of photographic observations of rare species.
2. Total number of observed rare species.
3. The level of "observability-recognition" of various species in the field and at the photographs (and the possibility of monitoring).
4. Spatial distribution of populations in the region.
5. Abundance of fruiting bodies.
6. Phenology of fruiting.
7. The ecology of the finds and the state of habitats (the latter can be assessed indirectly, by the remoteness and surroundings of collection points; for example, if the point is located deep in a hard-to-reach forest area, then there is a high probability that the population of the species will be preserved good [Aurantiporus…, 2022].
8. Number of observers, including permanent and enthusiastic ones, who can be involved in the registration of finds of protected species.

For an example of how this works, here are the results of monitoring protected species in the Tula Oblast using iNaturalist during vegetation season in 2021: 1) about 130 photographic observations of protected mushroom species were received; 2) the total number of observed species listed in the Red Data Book of the Tula Oblast [2010] is 31. Information about most of them was included in the GBIF; 3) new locations were found for 18 protected species; 4) new information about the habitats of rare species has been obtained; 5) rare species not previously recorded in the region were found–they are candidates for the next edition of the Red Data Book (for example, Lycoperdonmammiforme Pers. [Lycoperdon…, 2022], Holwayamucida (Schulzer) Korf &Abawi [Holwaya…, 2022]; 6) 26 observers recorded findings of rare mushroom species.Special project “Red Data Book – Fungi of Tula Oblast” was organized based on iNaturalist-platform.

CONCLUSION

The use of the iNaturalist intellectual online platform as a modern tool for studying the fungal biodiversity shows that it can help to solve a number of important tasks in the accumulation of photographic, cartographic, phenological and ecological data, as well as to attract a wide range of amateurs to learn and investigate fungi. Based on the first experience, it can be certainty said that the most significant and reliable data obtained due to monitoring of rare and protected fungal species, carried out as a part of project “Red Data Book - Fungi of the Tula Oblast” [2021], organized on the iNaturalist platform. During one season in 2021 preceded the release of the second edition of the Red Data Book of the Tula Oblast: lichens and fungi [2021], more than 130 photographic observations of 31 protected species of fungi were obtained, new locations were discovered for 18 species, some rare species were revealed as “new” for the region, new information about ecology and phenology was obtained. All data were considered in the released second edition of the Red Data Book. The results of the work continued in 2022 and also planned for the future will be taken into account in the next third edition of the book.

To achieve better results, it is necessary to organize a systematic approach to monitoring in iNaturalist, providing the active involvement of amateurs and biologists in photo documentation and identification of fungi finds, as well as the development of special methods for obtaining the most informative photo observations. All this, together with traditional methods of biodiversity research, will contribute to displaying an adequate picture of the distribution and occurrence of rare fungal species in the region.