Medicinal mushrooms of the order Polyporales have a long history of use, which is evidenced by the finding of dissected fruiting bodies with Ötzi, who lived over 5000 years ago. Because of its valuable biological properties and its use in 18th and 19th‐century pharmacy, Fomitopsis officinalis used to be mass‐collected. Moreover, the large demand for larch wood and non‐wood materials (resin) caused an excessive exploitation of larch forests, which directly contributed to the disappearance of F. officinalis from its natural environment. The qualities of medicinal preparations obtained from the F. officinalis fruiting bodies are determined by the unique composition of its bioactive compounds, such as: triterpenoids, polysaccharides, organic acids, coumarins and phenolic compounds. It has been proved that both crude extracts and the compounds isolated from F. officinalis have a wide spectrum of therapeutic effects, including anti‐inflammatory, cytotoxic, and antimicrobial effects.

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Between 1998 and 2003, 43 forest stands (including 41 reserves) with larch trees were inspected and reviewed in search of <i>Fomitopsis officinalis</i> (Vill.: Fr.) Bond. et Sing. A list of localities, together with short descriptions of the forest sites, is given, and location sketches with the localities are provided. The number of infected trees, their dimensions and health state, as well as the number of recorded fruitbodies, their dimensions and location on the trees, are given.

Fomitopsis officinalis is a medicinal mushroom used in traditional European eighteenth and nineteenth century folk medicine. Fruiting bodies of F. officinalis were collected from the natural environment of Świętokrzyskie Province with the consent of the General Director for Environmental Protection in Warsaw. Mycelial cultures were obtained from fragments of F. officinalis fruiting bodies. The taxonomic position of the mushroom mycelium was confirmed using the PCR method. The presence of organic compounds was determined by HPLC–DAD analysis. Bioelements were determined by AF-AAS. The biochemical composition of the tested mushroom material was confirmed with the FTIR method. Antioxidant properties were determined using the DPPH method, and the antiproliferative activity was assessed with the use of the MTT test. The presence of indole compounds (l-tryptophan, 6-methyl-d,l-tryptophan, melatonin, 5-hydroxy-l-tryptophan), phenolic compounds (p-hydroxybenzoic acid, gallic acid, catechin, phenylalanine), and sterols (ergosterol, ergosterol peroxide) as well as trace elements was confirmed in the mycelium and fruiting bodies of F. officinalis. Importantly, a high level of 5-hydroxy-l-tryptophan in in vitro mycelium cultures (517.99 mg/100 g d.w) was recorded for the first time. The tested mushroom extracts also showed antioxidant and antiproliferative effects on the A549 lung cancer cell line, the DU145 prostate cancer cell line, and the A375 melanoma cell line.

Scarabaeoid beetles (Scarabaeoidea) inhabit all zoogeographical regions of the world. However, coprophagy as the type of nutritional specialization dominates among the scarabaeoid beetles. The number of dung beetles (coprophagous Scarabaeoidea) is estimated at about 7,000 species. There are about 460 of dung beetles species in Europe, and about 90 of dung beetles species in Poland. Dung beetles can be endocoprids (dwellers), paracoprids (tunnelers) or telecoprids (rollers). Endocopric species lay eggs directly into the dung, paracropic species dig earth tunnels of various lengths ending with brooding chambers beneath the dung, and telecopric species separate a portion of dung and roll it into round balls which are then transported, sometimes far from the original source of the dung, to a place where the beetles dig tunnels ending with brooding chambers. Such a variety of methods of using faeces by dung beetles cause an accelerated circulation of nutrients, increased soil aeration, plant spreading, and a reduction in the number of parasites (flies and nematodes). Among dung beetles presently encountered in Poland there are endocopric and paracopric species.