State of Nature 2024 - Fungi

We currently have 320 recorded species of Manx fungi, 2% of the 15,000 species currently identified in the UK. Fungi perform an essential role in the decomposition of organic matter and have the fundamental roles in nutrient cycling and exchange in the environment.

The 320 fungi species have been discovered in the last 12 years, following the inception of the IOM Fungus Group.

Most fungi grow in terrestrial habitats within soil or decaying material and are principal decomposers in ecological systems. They are most commonly found in grassland and woodland habitats and, although active year-round, many are inconspicuous, spotted only during the autumn months when the growth of their fruiting/sporing bodies makes them more prominent.

IOM Fungus Group have compiled a checklist of 1,567 species which have been previously recorded on the Isle of Man (474 Ascomycetes and 1,093 Basidiomycetes)

27% of species on the IOM Fungus group checklist (420 species) have not been recorded since 1980 or earlier.