Tropical mycology is attracting increasing interest, as the key role of fungi in tropical ecosystems and as pathogens becomes appreciated. This book is the first of two complementary volumes (Volume 2 covers Micromycetes) produced from papers given at the British Mycological Society's symposium held in Liverpool in April 2000. It describes the ecology, biology, economic dimensions and systematics of tropical Macromycetes. Written by leading experts in their field, the papers have been thoroughly edited and revised.

Examining the progress and shifts that have taken place towards understanding fungi, this volume examines most of the major groups, including Chytridiomycota, Zygomycota, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota. Topics include advances in morphological and molecular taxonomy of the highly toxigenic Fusarium species, understanding the phylogeny of the alternarioid hyphomycetes, and methods used in fungal evolutionary biology along with theory, examples, and potential applications. Also discussed are proteomics research for rapid diagnosis to invasive candidiasis as well as ways in which molecular biologists and morphosystematists can develop synergy.

This volume presents provocative research in four broad areas: Evolution of Life and Evolutionary Theory, including papers on the origin of life, stress and evolution; Genome Evolution, including papers on adaptive genome regulation, and comparative mammalian genomes; Phylogeography and Phylogeny, including papers on mushroom phylogeny, macroevolution, and the origin of higher taxa; Human Evolution and Ecology, including papers on man's place in nature, and the origin of human hairlessness.

Account of the developmental biology of fungi.