Molecular methods as ways of dealing with terminological difficulties in fungal ecology

Abstract

Many ecological terms are very difficult to define, or to apply to some groups of organisms. In the case of fungi, it is unclear how to speak of individuals, populations and species. Relying on morphological characters often gives ambiguous results. However, in recent years new techniques have been developed, techniques that provide us with robust tools, helpful in recognizing specific groups in nature. This paper aims to give a short overview of how molecular methods are used to delimitate species, individuals and populations in fungi.