Species Listing And Seasonality Of Macrofungi In The Campus Of Isabela State University, Philippines

Abstract

Macrofungi are important decomposers abundant in forested areas around the world. However, its diversity and seasonality are poorly known in the Philippines. Isabela province is located at the northern part of the Philippines. It is mainly part of the Cagayan Valley region which has wide varieties of living organisms due to its climatical and geographical conditions. Among universities and local colleges in the province, Isabela State University, particularly the Echague Campus (ISU-E), caters the vast agricultural and forest land. This research aimed to enlist the macrofungal species and their seasonality in the campus of ISU-E. Lists of macrofungal species were compared between dry seasons (March-August 2020) and wet season (September 2020 – February 2021). Macrofungal samples were characterized and identified based on their morphology. A total of 31 species belonged to 15 families and 20 genera during the dry season, while 43 species were collected and identified to 19 families and 32 genera during the wet season. The family Polyporaceae had the highest number of species during both seasons. The present study is the first to record the list of macroscopic fungi present in Isabela State University as affected by the change of seasons.