Scientists from the University of New Hampshire have discovered five new truffles. This is according to their latest research that was published online.
In an article published by Phys.org, doctoral student Ryan Stephens have discovered the particular species of truffles in the White Mountain National Forest. However, these are still not formally identified and named.
"To discover a number of new species [are] exciting," Stephens said. He said that the discovery of the five new truffles just goes to show how much scientists still have to learn.
Because New Hampshire is not known as the place for diversity, it is exciting to find this number of new truffles, Michael Castellano of the US Forest Service said. "They're hidden treasures in our forests, so it's exciting to see work like Ryan has done to discover some of those treasures right here in our own backyard," he said.
In an article published in Concord Monitor, truffles are described as the fruit of the underground fungi, in which many trees depend for its growth. However, it is different from mushrooms, which can spread to new locations through spores scattered in the win. Truffles are required by animals to dig them up, eat them and disperse their spores through scat, making them harder to study.
However, the truffles symbiotic relationship with tree roots makes them a key component to forest health. Castellano said that efforts to restore a forest after a wildfire would benefit from the knowledge about what was there before.
"They're not important for the culinary aspect unless you happen to be a rodent or mammal that hangs out in the forest, but they're very important to the ecosystem," he said. Michael Castellano also said trees could not survive without mycorrhizal fungi in their root systems, making them essential for forest health.
