This month Mycological Research News features the role of fungi in black boxes and missing sinks in global climate change research, and the collective terms suggested for the fungi present in any geographical situation or eological niche (i.e. funga, mycota, and mycobiota).

The issue includes a review of species concepts in lichen-forming fungi in the light of new molecular insights. The 15 other papers cover diverse aspects of mycology. Molecular data shows that the Peronosporomycetes comprise two main groups and the ordinal placement of some genera needs reconsideration. The generic separations in the Cystotheceae of the Erysiphales also need rethinking as molecular data are at variance with some morphological features. Alternaria and its allies have been reassessed, and at the infraspecific level molecular information on Ophiostoma novo-ulmi in North America, and Pythium irregulare from diverse sources is provided. Differences in endopolygalacturonase activity in Fusarium relate to its regulation and expression.

The biological relationships of the Dacampiaceae with its lichen hosts are examined, and the activity and metabolites of fungi from marine sponges investigated. Variation in heavy metal tolerance of ectomycorrhizas is studied in vitro, and the relationships of two ectomycorrhizal fungi with Pinus sylvestris explored by molecular and anatomical approaches.

Ultrastructural papers include ones on the development of basidiospores in Tricholosporum, and the location of chitin in the different spore stages of Cronartium ribicola.

A world monograph of Amorphomyces is presented, and the following new fungal taxa are described in this issue: Torrentispora gen. nov.; and Amorphomyces hernandoi, Dactylaria cazorlii, Hansfordia catalonica, and T. fibrosa spp. nov.