Mycologists now look at the genes of fungi to decipher many features that they have been studying in the past beyond just looking at the morphology and other such traits of these organisms. Fungi are also attracting the attention of scientists in various other disciplines. These include the search for useful fungi in various extreme environments that may be useful in other ways such as for their therapeutic value. Fungi are known to produce low molecular weight compounds and several cholesterol-lowering ones like the statins. Compounds such as the cytochalasins, peptaibols, grisan and scirpene derivatives are found only in fungi. Nanotechnology has opened many new areas of research including the use of microorganisms in the biosynthesis of nano-materials, including fungi. This volume aims to bring together what we know about the fungi from different environments. It comprises of 14 chapters written by experts in their chosen area of specialization and covers fungi from various environments such as air, water (freshwater and marine), palaeo-environment, and their influence on the environment and their management. Fungi from paleoenvironments: their role in environmental interpretations / S.K.M. Tripathi Fungi in the air aeromycology: an overview / S.T. Tilak Fungi in saline water bodies with special attention to the hypersaline Dead Sea mycobiota / A.S. Buchalo, S.P. Wasser and E. Nevo Filamentous fungi in the marine environment: chemical ecology / Namikoshi and Jin-Zhong Xu The genus Achlya from alkaline and sewage polluted aquatic environment / J.K. Misra and A. Pant Keratinolytic and keratinophilic fungi in sewage sludge: factors influencing their occurrence / K. Ulfig Fungi in snow environments: psychrophilic moulds. A group of pathogens affecting plants under snow / N. Matsumoto and T. Hoshino Fungi from high nitrogen environments. Ammonia fungi: eco-physiological aspects / A. Suzuki Prospecting for novel enzyme activities and their genes in filamentous fungi from extreme environments / H. Nevalainen, J. Teo and R. Bradner The cuckoo fungus "termite ball" mimicking termite eggs: a novel insect-fungal association / K. Matsuura and T. Yashiro The hallucinogenic mushrooms: diversity, traditions, use and abuse with special reference to the genus Psilocybe / G. Guzman Environmental impacts on fatty acid composition of fungal membranes / G. Cene, T. Martina and G.-C. Nina Microsporum canis: airborne pathogen of cats and its control through environmental management: a review / R. Papini Thermophilic moulds in environmental management / B. Singh and T. Satyanarayana. Fungi are known to produce low molecular weight compounds and several cholesterol-lowering ones like the statins. Compounds such as the cytochalasins, peptaibols, grisan and scirpene derivatives are found only in fungi. This volume intends to bring together what we know about the fungi from different environments.
