If you have a mycologist certificate, you can certainly participate by sending the form for participation (Participate). If you are able to determine the fungal species, but do not have a mycologist certificate, you can send the form for membership by attaching your curriculum vitae in which you will have to report your activities and experiences in mycology; the curriculum will be verified by the Scientific Committee of the Network and, if approved, you will be able to participate in the census as an “expert in mycology”.

All members of the Network can participate in the environmental mycology training course, which is free and is carried out in e-learning mode. The course is divided into 2 parts: the first one concerns the purposes of the Network, the methods of participation and the protocols for the census and national monitoring of fungi; the second one concerns the matching of fungal species and the correct habitats.

One of the major problems that the Network faced in carrying out the national census and monitoring of macrofungi initiative was the wide inhomogeneity of criteria with which the mycological findings were collected.

This lack of homogeneity has made it difficult to carry out studies on a national scale and over large periods of time.

In order to standardize both the survey methods and the related data to allow the interchange and interoperability between different subjects, the Network has adopted a system of data quality control based on the collaboration of experts and scientifically rigorous standards, official and shared.

The Network has developed a fungarium in which dried samples of fungal species sent voluntarily by participating contributors are kept. Following a request by the contributor, once it has been verified that the species are eligible, the sample may be subjected to molecular analyzes at no cost to the contributor, who must in any case comply with the ethics code. The results of the molecular analyses will be shared directly with the contributor

The Network provides for the sending of data exclusively electronically using applications developed for the purpose: an app for smartphones, tablets and PCs. The app can be downloaded free of charge by contributors and is designed to automatically acquire the survey geolocation in the field.

The surveys can be sent in instant or deferred mode. The mobile app for the census still acquires the geolocation even in the absence of a connection. It is not necessary to take note of the coordinates, because they are saved in the survey file both in draft and in output.

Yes, the Fungi database is public.

Samples can be sent to the fungarium both for storage only and to request molecular analyses.
In both cases it is necessary to request submission via the app. Once the request is received, instructions for preparing the sample and sending it will be sent to the contributor.
In particular, if molecular analyses are required, it is necessary to verify that the species are eligible and to wait for approval and instructions, which will be sent directly to the requesting contributor by e-mail.