Contribution of the Survey Costa Rica ranks among the top 20 countries in biodiversity of plants and animals, and contains numerous ecosystems ranging from mangrove forests on the coasts to alpine vegetation in the páramo. Our fungal survey is part of a larger, integrated effort to understand, educate and use the country’s biological resources. With nearly 1000 species of macrofungi discovered, and hundreds more undiscovered there is much work to be done. Researchers, educators, land managers, ecotourists and students will use the data that are collected for a variety of reasons. Forest Management and Reforestation Programs. Knowledge of the fungi involved in decomposition, plant diseases, and symbiotic relationships such as ectomycorrhizae along with information on their host plants is crucial for developing informed forest management plans. Forest ecosystems are complex systems and changes in the fungal component of the system can have a major impact on the plants and animals in the forest. Fungal communities can change due to a number of factors including changes in temperature, rainfall, fire, timber harvesting, size of forest, and air pollution. The necessary information can only be obtained through a comprehensive survey and sampling plan such as ours in which specific plant / fungal relationships are noted. continue >>