Fungi are unique; they straddle the macroscopic and microscopic worlds, span different ecological guilds, and connect nutrient flows from production to decomposition. Interacting with the food chain at most levels, their importance should not be underestimated. I am mainly interested in ectomycorrhizal fungi; in most ecosystems worldwide, they are central in ecosystem functioning and essential to maintain a healthy balance. Their hyphae are entangled in a tight mutualism with tree roots, facilitating plant water and nutrient uptake. My favourite genus: Russula!
Research interests:
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Fungal diversity
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Phylogenetics, systematics and taxonomy
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Microscopy and morphology
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Mycorrhiza
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Fungal ecology
Current research:
Within the genus Russula, members of the former R. subg. Compactae are mainly characterised by the presence of lamellulae. The fruitbodies are rather big, firm and compact with a short and thick stipe and a white, yellowish or brown head. The context is often browning or blackening, sometimes reddening. These morphologically atypical russula’s are now spread over five subgenera, each containing multiple species complexes. I aim to unravel these species complexes and describe new species through phylogenetic and morphological analysis. As it is thought that ecology might play an important role in speciation, I also focus on mycorrhizal host associations.
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Other:
I developed a double staining protocol that allows both rapid spore detection at low magnification (×100) and spore ornamentation observation at high magnification (×1000).
Recorded presentation:
Autumn Open Meeting 2021: The World of Fungi (British Mycological Society)
Publications:
Haelewaters D., Quandt A.C., Bartrop L., Cazabonne J., Crockatt M.E., Cunha S.P., De Lange R., Dominici L., Douglas B., Drechsler-Santos E.R., et al. (2024).The power of citizen science to advance fungal conservation. CONSERVATION LETTERS, e13013. https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13013
Mortier L., Haelewaters D., Asselman P., De Lange R., Kuyper T.W. & Verbeken A. (2024). Simocybe ramosa, a new species from the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. NORTHEASTERN NATURALIST, 31(1): 92–109.
Hyde K.D., Abdel-Wahab M.A., Abdollahzadeh J., Abeywickrama P.D., Absalan S., Afshari N., Ainsworth A.M., Akulov O.Y., Aleoshin V.V., Al-Sadi A.M., et al. (2023). Global consortium for the classification of fungi and fungus-like taxa. MYCOSPHERE, 14(1): 1960–2012.
De Lange R., Kleine J., Hampe F., Asselman P., Manz C., De Crop E., Delgat L., Adamčík S. & Verbeken A. (2023). Stop black and white thinking: Russula subgenus Compactae (Russulaceae, Russulales) in Europe revised. PERSOONIA, 51: 152–193. https://doi.org/10.3767/persoonia.2023.51.04
Boeraeve M., Leroux O., De lange R., Verbeken A., & Jacquemyn H. (2021). The effect of surrounding vegetation on the mycorrhizal fungal communities of the temperate tree Crataegus monogyna Jacq. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY, 2. https://doi.org/10.3389/ffunb.2021.741813
De Lange R., Adamčík S., Adamčíkova K., Asselman P., Borovička J., Delgat L., Hampe F. & Verbeken A. (2021). Enlightening the black and white: species delimitation and UNITE species hypothesis testing in the Russula albonigra species complex. IMA FUNGUS, 12, 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43008-021-00064-0
Malysheva V., Spirin V., Schoutteten N., De Lange R., Pennanen J. & Larsson K.-H. (2020). New and noteworthy species of Helicogloea (Atractiellomycetes, Basidiomycota) from Europe. ANNALES BOTANICI FENNICI, 57(1–3): 1–7. https://doi.org/10.5735/085.057.0101
De Crop E., Lescroart J., Njouonkou A.-L., De Lange R., Van de Putte K. & Verbeken A. (2019). Lactifluus bicapillus (Russulales, Russulaceae), a new species from the Guineo-Congolian rainforest. MYCOKEYS, (45): 25–39.
Delgat L., Dierickx G., De Wilde S., Angelini C., De Crop E., De Lange R., Halling R., Manz C., Nuytinck J. & Verbeken A. (2019). Looks can be deceiving : the deceptive milkcaps (Lactifluus, Russulaceae) exhibit low morphological variance but harbour high genetic diversity. IMA FUNGUS, 10.
Adamčík S., Looney B., Cabon M., Jancovicova S., Adamčíkova K., Avis P.G., Barajas M., Bhatt R.P., Corrales A., Das K., et al. (2019). The quest for a globally comprehensible Russula language. FUNGAL DIVERSITY, 99(1): 369–449.
Zamora J.C., Svensson M., Kirschner R., Olariaga I., Ryman S., Alberto Parra L., Geml J., Rosling A., Adamčík S., Ahti T., et al. (2018). Considerations and consequences of allowing DNA sequence data as types of fungal taxa. IMA FUNGUS, 9(1): 167–175.
De Lange R., De Crop E., Delgat L., Tibuhwa D., Baribwegure D. & Verbeken A. (2018). Lactifluus kigomaensis and L. subkigomaensis : two look-alikes in Tanzania. MYCOSCIENCE, 59(5): 371–378.