Assessment of Commonly Occurring Mushrooms Diversity in Niger State, Nigeria in Relation to Ecological and Environmental Factors

Abstract

Distribution and ecological studies of commonly occurring mushrooms in Niger State was carried out to enhance the domestication and conservation of this promising and threatened natural resource. A field sampling and collection of mushrooms was carried out on the basis of shrub density distribution of the state. Three Local Government areas were selected from each of the shrub density distribution areas (less than 20%, 20% - 40%, 40% - 60% and above 60%). Identification and sorting of the collected mushrooms were done using macroscopic and microscopic features following standard procedures. The results of the studies revealed that Niger state is endowed with numerous species of mushroom; with different shrub density areas harbouring different types of mushrooms. A total of 450 mushroom individuals belonging to eight (8) different genera were recorded; these include Ganoderma, Lepiota, Tricholoma, Parasola, Pleurotus, Pluteus, Agaricus, and Phyllotipsis. Shrub density of 60% and above has the richest abundance of mushrooms having a total of 232 mushroom individuals while shrub density of 0 to 20 % have the least with a total of 35 mushroom species. Also, in term of genera abundance, shrub density of ≥ 60% had the highest mushrooms distribution with 8 different genera. The least species abundance was recorded in shrub densities of 40 - 60% and 20 – 40%, with only three (3) genera each. In terms of diversity indices, species evenness and equitability, Pleurotus ostreatus displayed the highest richness and diversity among the represented species with 118 species in three different taxa. Therefore, diversity and distribution of the sampled mushroom reflects that species composition is closely correlated with the ecological and environmental variables of the region.