COS 206-4 - Macrofungal diversity, threats, and traditional Knowledge assessment in Cameroon

Abstract: Fungi are one of the most diverse groups of organisms on earth, with forests ecosystems being the main habitats for macrofungal. Majority of the people in rural areas depend on macrofungal as food and medicine. This research aims to assess the diversity, threats, and traditional knowledge to macrofungal in Cameroon. Field sites included the Mount Cameroon region, Kilum Ijim forest, Awing Forest reserve, Bafut forest reserve and Bamoun forest. For macrofungal diversity study, fixed size plot, opportunistic and downed wood sampling methods was used. Macrofungal samples were collected, identified morphologically and molecularly using the ITS gene region. For threat and traditional knowledge assessment, semi-structured questionnaires, focus group discussions, and pictorial method was used to collect information. Results from the Kilum ijim forest revealed that majority of the macrofungal (87.93%) belonged to Basidiomycota while 12.07% belonged to Ascomycota. In the Mount Cameroon region, a total of 177 macrofungal species belonging to 83 genera and 38 families were recorded. In the Bafut forest, 10 species of polypores was identified in four families. In the Awing Forest reserve, a total of 75 species of mushrooms in 30 families were identified. The major reasons accounted for threats to macrofungal was anthropogenic factors such as illegal logging, bush fire, deforestation for farmlands among others. Traditional knowledge assessment revealed that mushrooms were used as food, medicine, and for mythology. In the Mount Cameroon region species used for ethnomedicine belonged to several genera, including Termitomyces, Auricularia, Daldinia, Pleurotus, Russula, Trametes, Chlorophyllum, and Ganoderma. Mushrooms were also used as love charms, for dispelling evil spirits, and as part of cultural festivals. In Kilum Ijim communities, eight species of macrofungal were reported as edible, and nine species were used as medicine in traditional health care. It is worth noting that Polyporus dictyopus was reported for the first time as an edible macrofungal species. In communities around the Bafut forest, Microporus xanthopus and Microporus vernicipes were used as food and medicine while all Trametes species were reported to be only medicinal. The most utilized species as food and medicine in Awing communities included Termitomyces titanicus, Laetiporus sulphureus, and Ganoderma sp. The Bamoun people used at least 40 species of mushrooms as either food or medicine. This research underscores the need to conserve macrofungal diversity, mitigate threats and preserve traditional knowledge of macrofungal used in treating different illnesses for future scientific research to determine their efficacy and their safety.