CHEGD fungi are a reliable indicator of threatened grassland habitats and could be critical to their proper designation and protection. However, traditional visual surveys of fruiting bodies have hindered conservation. NatureMetrics eDNA changes that.
NatureMetrics has launched the first commercial solution for surveying the endangered CHEGD fungi using eDNA. Unlike traditional visual surveys, eDNA enables fungi detection even when the fruiting bodies are invisible.
This development benefits land managers, environmental consultants, and ecologists working on environmental impact assessments and land use change because CHEGD fungi are reliable indicators of semi-natural and unimproved grasslands.
Grasslands are among the most biodiverse and threatened ecosystems in Europe. However, their conservation is often overlooked. Many ancient grasslands are wrongly classified and lack protections against agricultural improvements, development, and tree planting.
Protecting these habitats requires reliable indicators of ecological health. Such as the presence of CHEGD fungi, including waxcaps.
Habitat loss, agricultural improvements, and nitrogen pollution have resulted in nearly 90 per cent of all waxcap species being listed on one or more European national Red Lists for threatened fungi.
Therefore, their existence strongly indicates that a grassland should benefit from protection under the EU Habitats Directive or designation as a UK Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).
Traditionally, CHEGD fungi monitoring has relied on fruitbody surveys, but these above-ground features only last for a few weeks each year. Traditional surveys thus require multiple visits over several years to reasonably assess fungal diversity at a given site.
By contrast, eDNA can reliably detect these surveys at any point in the year and can be carried out with minimal training in just a few minutes.
The UK and Europe have lost significant portions of their species-rich grasslands due to agricultural intensification, urbanization, and afforestation. In England, 97% of lowland meadows have been lost since the 1930s, leaving only scattered remnants of these important habitats. Similarly, many upland and calcareous grasslands across Europe are being degraded or converted to other land uses.
CHEGD fungi are among the most sensitive indicators of grassland degradation. They are absent in heavily grazed, ploughed, or fertilized soils, and their disappearance can signal irreversible ecological changes. By monitoring their presence, land managers can identify early signs of decline and take action to prevent further habitat loss.
In the UK, the protection of such grasslands often hinges on their designation as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). Natural England and other conservation agencies use the presence and diversity of CHEGD fungi, especially waxcaps, as one of the key criteria for granting SSSI status.
The guidelines set out by Bosanquet et al. (2018) are widely used to evaluate grassland importance based on Hygrocybe (waxcap) species counts, with thresholds indicating local, regional, national, or international conservation value. These are:
In Europe, initiatives like the EU Habitats Directive also emphasize the protection of semi-natural grasslands as priority habitats.
The ability to detect CHEGD fungi through eDNA provides a powerful tool to strengthen efforts to protect rare grassland habitats by drastically reducing the time, cost, and effort required to identify and designate them.
Conversely, detecting areas with few or no CHEGD fungi can help conservationists identify degraded grasslands that could be targeted for restoration, tree-planting schemes or other land-use changes.
Given the limited resources for habitat management and restoration, identifying grasslands with the greatest biodiversity value is critical.
Traditional methods for surveying CHEGD fungi rely on the visual identification of fruitbodies, which are time-consuming, seasonal, and dependent on specialist knowledge. eDNA transforms this process by enabling:
The UK Government's 30x30 target—protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030—requires identifying, designating, and effectively managing areas of high biodiversity value. CHEGD fungi are a crucial piece of this puzzle, particularly for protecting grasslands that might otherwise be overlooked.
By incorporating CHEGD detection into biodiversity monitoring frameworks, land managers can ensure that these hidden biodiversity hotspots are recognized and conserved.
Similarly, the European Union's Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 calls for the restoration of degraded ecosystems and the expansion of protected areas. Semi-natural grasslands are a priority habitat under this strategy, and CHEGD fungi offer a robust, science-based criterion for identifying areas in need of conservation or restoration funding.
CHEGD fungi represent five groups of macrofungi that are essential indicators of grassland health. Each group brings its own ecological significance, fascinating biology, and conservation importance.
These fungi are characterized by their striking shapes, resembling coral reefs, delicate spindles, or upright clubs. Their presence often signals undisturbed grasslands with low nutrient levels. Clavarioid fungi play a crucial role in nutrient cycling by breaking down organic matter, releasing nutrients that sustain grassland plants.
Interestingly, some species glow faintly under UV light, making them a curious find for night-time explorers. Their quirky shapes and bright colours also make them a favourite among fungal photographers, contributing to citizen science biodiversity surveys.
Hygrocybes, or waxcaps, are among the most visually stunning grassland fungi, known for their vibrant reds, yellows, oranges, and green. Their waxy, slippery caps give them their name and make them easy to spot on dewy mornings.
Waxcaps are sensitive to nitrogen enrichment, so their presence strongly indicates grasslands that have not been fertilized or heavily grazed. Some waxcap species are also highly specialized, forming associations with particular grasses or mosses, further underscoring their value in maintaining grassland biodiversity.
Habitat loss, agricultural improvements, and nitrogen pollution have resulted in nearly 90 per cent of all waxcap species being listed on one or more European national Red Lists for threatened fungi.
Entoloma fungi, commonly called pinkgills, are easily recognized by their pinkish spores and earthy, pastel-colored caps. While less flamboyant than waxcaps, they are no less important. Many pinkgill species are grassland specialists that thrive in low-nutrient soils, making them reliable indicators of pristine habitats.
One of the more intriguing aspects of Entoloma fungi is their slow growth and resistance to environmental changes. They can persist in the soil for decades, even if fruiting bodies are not visible. This makes them challenging to reliably detect using visual surveys.
Some Entoloma species are exceptionally rare, existing in only a handful of known locations, making their detection a critical priority for conservationists.
Geoglossoid fungi, or earthtongues, are named for their tongue-shaped fruiting bodies that emerge from the ground. Often jet-black, dark brown, or greenish, they are vital for grassland ecosystems. Earthtongues are thought to play a unique role in breaking down tough organic matter like lignin, which most fungi cannot decompose.
Geoglossoid fungi often go unnoticed due to their cryptic coloration and small size, yet their presence reveals much about soil health and habitat quality. They thrive in habitats that have remained undisturbed for centuries, acting as indicator for long-term ecological stability.
Their rarity has led to the nickname "the black diamonds of grasslands," highlighting their value in biodiversity studies.
Dermoloma fungi are among the most enigmatic of the CHEGD group. They are named for their distinctive cracked or "crazed" caps, which appear weathered and aged, even when freshly emerged. Unlike waxcaps and pinkgills, which are more visually dramatic, Dermoloma’s muted gray, beige, or white tones can complicate visual identification.
Dermoloma species are specialists of ancient grasslands, where they contribute to nutrient recycling and interact with a unique set of soil microbes. Some Dermoloma species produce compounds with antimicrobial properties, leading researchers to study their potential applications in medicine.
CHEGD Fungal Species is particularly relevant for clients conducting environmental impact assessments (EIAs) or planning land-use changes.
It enables managers and stakeholders to make science-backed decisions to balance development and conservation goals by providing insights that were previously inaccessible or prohibitively expensive.
Unlike traditional surveys, eDNA approach offers unparalleled efficiency and accuracy. And while some academic institutions have explored CHEGD fungi, NatureMetrics is the only company to commercialize their detection, making it accessible to the mass-market.
Our surveys identify both named and unnamed fungal species. Our reports will return:
There is also additional guidance from the UK Government on how to use the detection frequency of waxcap species (Hygrophoraceae) to designate SSSI status to grasslands (Bosanquet et al., 2018).
If you’re interested in how CHEGD Fungal Species can support your conservation or development goals, get in touch with us today.
.jpg)
Protecting biodiversity isn’t just about ecosystems; it’s about empowering the communities who live closest to and rely on them.
-2.png)
