When compared to the West Coast of the United States, British Columbia has comparatively very little DNA data on our fungi. While we’ve been able to learn a lot from the DNA sequencing done in neighbouring states like Washington, British Columbia undoubtedly has much of its own unique biodiversity that has yet to be thoroughly mapped. By making DNA sequencing for fungi and slime moulds free and available to everyone across the province, anyone can help by providing valuable data on specimens near them. Over time, these collections will help us develop a much more robust understanding of fungal diversity in British Columbia.

Results?

Once your collections are sent to the MycoMap muster point at the University of Victoria, they will be stored there until a batch is sent to Mycota Lab. It will typically take at least 3-4 months or more before sequences are available. Once tissue has been sampled at the lab, it will be mailed to Indiana for sequencing. Once data is available, each specimen must be individually validated before results are uploaded to iNaturalist. There is autovalidation, so you may receive a large number of results at once.