Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper


Vol. 32 (January Suppl. Issue): 2026

Page Number: S261-S266

ASSESSMENT OF MACROFUNGAL DIVERSITY AND HABITAT ASSOCIATION ACROSS THE ANNASAHEB AWATE COLLEGE CAMPUS, MANCHAR, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

S.V. Barve, A.K. Bhor and S.M. Shitole

Abstract

This study documents the macrofungal diversity across the Annasaheb Awate College campus in Manchar, Maharashtra, India. Regular field surveys were conducted between June 2024 to May 2025 across different campus habitat types: decaying logs, grasslands, leaf litter zones, tree bases, and shaded moist areas. Each specimen was photographed and identified using standard mycological keys. A total of 21 species belonging to 13 families and 08 orders were documented. The Shannon–Wiener Diversity Index was calculated to quantify diversity. The results revealed notable species richness and variation among habitats, with dominant taxa including Trichoderma, Daldinia, Ganoderma, Auricularia, and Schizophyllum. Among the recorded taxa, members of the order Agaricales contributed approximately 42% of total species richness, indicating dominance of wood-decomposing forms across habitats, followed by Polyporales. Habitat-wise analysis revealed maximum diversity in shaded and decaying wood habitats. The study highlights the ecological significance of educational campuses as microhabitats for fungal diversity and recommends long-term monitoring and molecular identification for future work.