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The population genetics and speciation of fungi is a rapidly developing field, heavily dependent upon the use of molecular markers. No basic text exists which describes the methods employed or the findings obtained from such investigations. This book is intended to provide such an account. It describes the methodologies employed and, for the benefit of the non-mycological reader, a brief introduction to basic fungal biology. Recent findings
relating to processes in fungal populations - mutation, migration, recombination, heterokaryosis, hybridization, polyploidy, and the operation of selective forces are combined with traditional fungal biology. Finally the taxonomic problems raised by fungal species are discussed, together with the processes of speciation.
List of contents
- Basic Mycology
- 1: Elements of classification, structure, sexuality, biology and genetics of Fungi Methodology
- 2: Genetic markers for population studies I. Morphological, physiological and cytological markers
- 3.: Genetic markers for population studies II. Molecular markers
- 4: Defining fungal individuals: ecological, biological and genetical aspects; sampling
- 5: Describing and analysing populations: basic genetic and phylogenetic aspects
- Processes in populations
- 6: The generation of variation I. Mutation and migration
- 7: The generation of variation II. The importance and diversity of inbreeding and outbreeding
- 7-Annexe: Distinguishing between clones and recombinant populations
- 8: The generation of variation III. Heterokaryosis, parasexuality, hybridization and polyploidy
- 9: Change in gene frequency in fungal populations I. General considerations: selection for oligogenically determined traits
- 10: Change in gene frequency in fungal populations II. Natural selection for multigenically determined traits: competition and fitness
- 10-Annexe: More complex approaches to estimating fitness in fungi
- Species and Speciation
- 11: Fungal species
- 12: Speciation in fungi
About the author
Former President of the British Mycological Society
Summary
Recognizing and discriminating between fungal populations and the genetical processes that accompany them, including speciation is now a rapidly developing field that is heavily dependent upon the use of molecular markers. There was no basic text on this subject, John Burnett has provided such an account. The text describes the methodologies employed and, for the benefit of those without a background in mycology, a brief introduction to basic fungal biology. Recent findings relating to processes in fungal populations - mutation, migration, recombination, heterokaryosis, hybridization, polyploidy, and the operation of selective forces are combined with traditional fungal biology. Finally the taxonomic problems raised by fungal species are discussed, together with the processes of speciation.
Additional text
This book, by one of our most experienced fungal geneticists is both timely and welcome ... lucidly written, well-presented, and illustrated by clear line drawings. It should be studied by all mycologists working around the species level, whether from systematic or applied standpoints ... It deserves to be a mycological best-seller, and should be a priority purchase order for universities and research centres concerned with evolutionary or population biology or genetics, as well as with mycology.
