Influence of Climate and Economic Variables on the Aggregated Supply of a Wild Edible Fungi (Lactarius deliciosus)

Abstract

Abstract:A mycological supply function of wild edible fungi is determined by a set of forest and economic variables, among which climate variables stand out. Focusing on wild mushroom picking with commercial value (Lactarius deliciosus (L.) Gray) as an example, the main objective of this paper is to obtain empirical evidence about the impact of meteorological and economic variables on the mushroom supply. A multidisciplinary vector error correction (VEC) model for mushroom supply is estimated. Coefficients for the Error Correction Term (ECT) are all significant, at the 0.01 significance level, both in the model for prices and for collected mushrooms. The value of the ECT coefficient in the equation for prices is −0.086 (t-value: −9.321), and for the collected mushroom equation is 0.499 (t-value: 3.913). The impact of precipitation on price changes is −0.104 (t-value: −1.66), and the impact of temperature on mushroom harvest picking is 0.605 (t-value: 3.07). We find that including climate factors to explain mushroom supply considerably strengthens the explanatory power of the model, and in some cases greatly changes the results. OPEN ACCESSForests 2015, 6 2325

Lactarius deliciosus Fr. soil extraradical mycelium correlates with stand fruitbody productivity and is increased by forest thinning

“…Rainfall and temperature are critical, but their timing also appears as a crucial variable, and there is substantial annual variation in these and other climatic factors (Martínez de Aragón et al, 2007;Büntgen et al, 2015;Alfranca et al, 2015). Site factors, such as soil characteristics, altitude, slope or aspect and stand structure, including forest vegetation, stand age or stand density will also influence mushroom species richness and abundance (Martínez-Peña et al, 2012a, 2012b.…”

Climatic and Economic Factors Affecting the Annual Supply of Wild Edible Mushrooms and Berries in Finland

“…It is obvious that the annual amounts of berries and mushrooms entering the markets depend on their annual yields, and, thus, also on the annual climatic conditions. For example, precipitation and temperature affect the amounts of mushrooms harvested and offered for sale in Spain [18,19].The biological yields have a clear effect on the quantities picked for sale and for household consumption, yet it is estimated that, at most, less than 10% of the biological yield of berries, and even less of that of mushrooms, are harvested annually [20,21]. The biological yield, however, is not the only factor causing variations in marketed quantities [18].…”

“…Economic factors can be assumed to have an impact on the marketed quantities of mushrooms and berries. When climatic and economic factors were used to predict the supply of mushrooms on domestic markets in Spain, the price of Lactarius deliciosus (L.) Gray had a positive relationship with the supply [18,19]. This is not surprising, considering that the phenomenon follows the general principles of supply, where the higher (lower) the selling price, the higher (lower) the quantities on the market [22,23].…”

“…It is obvious that the annual amounts of berries and mushrooms entering the markets depend on their annual yields, and, thus, also on the annual climatic conditions. For example, precipitation and temperature affect the amounts of mushrooms harvested and offered for sale in Spain [18,19].…”

“…The biological yields have a clear effect on the quantities picked for sale and for household consumption, yet it is estimated that, at most, less than 10% of the biological yield of berries, and even less of that of mushrooms, are harvested annually [20,21]. The biological yield, however, is not the only factor causing variations in marketed quantities [18]. Economic factors can be assumed to have an impact on the marketed quantities of mushrooms and berries.…”