Research Features

A PhD student in FABI, Runlei Chang, has discovered and described 19 new fungal species from China as part of the research for his thesis, working under the supervision of Prof. Wilhelm de Beer, Dr Tuan Duong and Prof. Mike Wingfield. These fungi are all associated with conifer-infesting bark beetles and their mites and belong to well-known genera such as Ophiostoma and Leptographium. Two of Mr Chang's papers describing the new species have been published in prominent mycological journals, Persoonia (Chang et al. 2018) and MycoKeys (Chang et al. 2017), while a third paper is currently under review with another international journal. 

The ophiostomatoid fungi are an important group of fungi as some of these species can kill trees. They are often introduced into new countries by their bark or ambrosia beetle associates, when these insects are move around the world in wood and timber products. 

Mr Chang's research follows a long tradition of bark beetle related research done in FABI on fungi from China by students and collaborators from that country. The first of these papers was published by the first Chinese PhD student in FABI, Dr Xudong Zhou, in 2000. A total of 37 bark beetle associated fungi have already been named and described from China by FABIans in the studies listed below. 

The collaborative research between FABI and China stretches beyond bark beetle associates and also includes studies on other forestry pests and diseases. The work has been funded over the years by several organisations such as the NRF and various Chinese government organisations. At present most of the work is done under the umbrella of the CERC-FABI Tree Protection Programme.


Chang R, Duong TA, Taerum SJ, Wingfield MJ, Zhou X, De Beer ZW. (2017) Ophiostomatoid fungi associated with conifer-infesting beetles and their phoretic mites in Yunnan, China. MycoKeys 28:19-64. 10.3897/mycokeys.28.21758 PDF

Chang R, Duong TA, Taerum SJ, Wingfield MJ, Zhou XD, Yin M, De Beer ZW. (2019) Ophiostomatoid fungi associated with the spruce bark beetle Ips typographus, including 11 new species from China. Persoonia 42:50-74. 10.3767/persoonia.2019.42.03 PDF

Lu M, Zhou XD, De Beer ZW, Wingfield MJ, Sun J-H. (2009) Ophiostomatoid fungi associated with the invasive pine-infesting bark beetle, Dendroctonus valens, in China. Fungal Diversity 38:133-145. PDF

Paciura D, De Beer ZW, Jacobs K, Zhou XD, Ye H, Wingfield MJ. (2010) Eight new Leptographium species associated with tree-infesting bark beetles in China. Persoonia 25:94-108. 10.3767/003158510X551097 PDF

Paciura D, Zhou XD, De Beer ZW, Jacobs K, Ye H, Wingfield M. (2010) Characterisation of synnematous bark beetle-associated fungi from China, including Graphium carbonarium sp. nov. Fungal Diversity 40(1):75-88. 10.1007/s13225-009-0004-x PDF

Taerum SJ, Konečný A, de Beer ZW, Cibrian-Tovar D, Wingfield MJ. (2016) Population genetics and symbiont assemblages support different invasion scenarios for the red turpentine beetle (Dendroctonus valens). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 118(3):486-502. 10.1111/bij.12781 PDF

Taerum SJ, Hoareau TB, Duong TA, De Beer ZW, Jankowiak R, Wingfield MJ. (2017) Putative origins of the fungus Leptographium procerum. Fungal Biology 121(1):82-94. 10.1016/j.funbio.2016.09.007 PDF

Taerum SJ, Duong TA, De Beer ZW, Gillette N, Sun J, Owen DR, Wingfield MJ. (2013) Large shift in symbiont assemblage in the invasive red turpentine beetle. PLoS ONE 8(10):e78126. 10.1126/science.aac6674 PDF

Yin M, Wingfield MJ, Zhou X, De Beer ZW. (2016) Multigene phylogenies and morphological characterization of five new Ophiostoma spp. associated with spruce-infesting bark beetles in China. Fungal Biology 120(4):454-470. 10.1016/j.funbio.2015.12.004 PDF

Yin M, Duong TA, Wingfield MJ, Zhou X, De Beer ZW. (2015) Taxonomy and phylogeny of the Leptographium procerum complex, including L. sinense sp. nov. and L. longiconidiophorum sp. nov. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 107(2):547-563. 10.1007/s10482-014-0351-9 PDF

Zhou XD, Jacobs K, Morelet M, Ye H, Lieutier F, Wingfield MJ. (2001) A new Leptographium species associated with Tomicus piniperda in south-western China. Mycoscience 41:573-578. PDF