Investigating the Diversity and Distribution of Amanita Mushrooms in Vermont

The goal of this research project is to develop a repository of Vermont mushrooms residing within the genus Amanita. The collection will include dried specimens, accompanying photographic and morphometric data, along with mushroom barcodes derived from DNA sequencing performed in Dr. Terrence Delaney’s laboratory in the Dept. of Plant Biology at the University of Vermont. The barcoding derived from this research will be used to authenticate the identity of collected specimens and will also be used to contribute to the understanding of phylogeny, or the evolutionary history and relationships, among Amanita species in Vermont. There is much ambiguity surrounding the classification of Amanita species, so DNA evidence derived from this research will help to solidify the placement of certain species in the taxonomic tree of the genus Amanita, and/or may be used as evidence for repositioning species within the current classification of Amanitas, and help to define the geographic range of various Amanita species