Chapter I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Macrofungi refers to all fungi that produce visible

fruiting bodies. These fungi are evolutionary and

ecologically very divergent. Evolutionary, they belong to

two main phyla, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, and many of

them have relatives that cannot form visible fruiting

bodies. Ecologically, macrofungi can be associated with dead

organic matter, plants, and animals (Tang,2015).

It is a known fact that macrofungi may have the longest

history of various studies of any group of fungi which are

yet understudied in every quarter of the world that

obviously knowledge of macrofungal diversity is incomplete.

It is viewed that taxonomical obstacle as well as scarcity

of trained mycologists, and the low number of published,

hard, long-term studies prevent from decisively answering

even basic questions about the number of macrofungal species

at a specific location, or whether macrofungal diversity is

greater in one type of forest than in another.

In this study, a survey of publications in macrofungi

from 1906 to the present revealed that the Philippines have

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currently 376 validated species names of macrofungi

classified under 66 families and 130 genera. Macrofungal

species reported in the country belong to class Ascomycota

and Basidiomycota with high species diversity under family

Agaricaceae, Lycoperdaceae, Marasmiaceae, and Polyporaceae

(Arguelles & Paguirigan, 2022).

The information on biodiversity is being obtained

through inventories and long-term monitoring projects. This

knowledge will provide a framework for conservation efforts

and natural resource management. On the other hand, it is

regarded that fungi belongs to the plant kingdom for its

appearance wherein some fungi are parasitic mostly found on

dead wood, soil, tree branches, coconut husk and decaying

banana trunks (Adeniyi et al.,2018).

Thus, the researcher finds it more interesting on the

assessment of the variety of macrofungi prevalent in

Pambujan, Northern Samar including its poorly documented

mycoflora since these areas remained unexplored or

underexplored and many species remained undiscovered in many

of our unique habitats. The researcher prompted to choose

and find it justifiable to conduct this study on the

inventory of macrofungi in the said area.

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Objectives of the Study

Generally, this study focuses on the inventory of

macrofungi in selected barangays of Pambujan, Northern

Samar.

Specifically, this study aimed to meet the following

objectives:

1. identify the different species of macrofungi in

selected barangays of Pambujan, Northern Samar;

2. assess the distribution of macrofungi found in the

selected barangays of Pambujan, Northern Samar; and

3. document the spores of macrofungi collected

Significance of the Study

The researcher believes that the result of this study

was beneficial to the following:

Students. This will help them identify and determine

the uses of macrofungi species. It will also enhance their

knowledge on the importance of macrofungi species.

Community. This study will enlighten them to be more

practical and aware on the kind of substrate and the

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economic uses of macrofungi species. This will guide them in

thorough discussion based on the inventory of macrofungi.

Local Government Unit (LGU). This will contribute for

the awareness among leaders and employees. This will help

them determine the economic uses of macrofungi.

Future Researchers. The results of this study will be

an off shoot to any related future research that will tackle

cases of reckless driving in the carline municipalities its

causes and effects.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

This study was conducted to identify the macrofungi

species present in selected barangays of Pambujan, Northern

Samar. This study focuses only in the selected barangays of

Pambujan namely: Brgy. Tula, Brgy. Don Sixto, Brgy.

Senonogan, Brgy Igot, and Brgy. Ginulgan, Pambujan, Northern

Samar. This was conducted on the month of January to March

2023. This study was limited only to the objective of the

study due to time and financial constraints of the

researcher.
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Definition of Terms

The following terms are herein defined conceptually and

operationally for better understanding of the study.

Assessment. Operationally, it refers to physical or

actual macrofugi present in the locale of the study.

Conceptually, it is defined as the evaluation or estimation

of the nature, quality, or ability of someone or something.

Distribution. Operationally, it refers to the number of

types macrofungi present in the locale of the study.

Conceptually, it is defined as the action of sharing

something out among several recipients.

Inventory. Operationally, this is the basis and the

process on how the study is being conducted. Conceptually,

refers to the goods and materials that a business holds for

the ultimate goal of resale, production or utilization.

Macrofungi. Operationally, this is main focus and the

main reason of the study. Conceptually, these are fungi—

eukaryotic organisms such as molds, mildews and rusts—which

have microscopic spore-producing structures. They exhibit

tube tip-growth and have cell walls composed of chitin, a

polymer of N-acetyl glucosamine.

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Species. Operationally, this term enlightens the

researcher the different species included and being part of

the study. Conceptually, a group of living organisms

consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging

genes or interbreeding. 

Spores. Is the reproductive structure of macrofungi,

some of which are adapted for dispersal and surviving for

extended periods of time in unfavorable conditions.