Mycoremediation strategies for watershed health

Mycoevolve, in partnership with University of Vermont, and funded by EPSCoR, conducted an experiment using the mushroom species Stropharia rugosoannulata, otherwise known as the garden giant, wine cap, or King Stropharia, to reduce E. coli in simulated farm effluent. In Vermont water quality in the Lake Champlain watershed is frequently contaminated by excess fertilizer, nutrient runoff, algae blooms, and E. coli largely due to the dairy industry. Mycoevolve and UVM’s first in-greenhouse project contributes to a small yet growing field, combining grassroots remediation strategies with academic research, and is a crucial step towards understanding how
mycoremediation (a form of bioremediation using fungi) may be applied in the future by farmers and land “owners” to better manage landscapes for improved water quality. Results from this study will inform the next phase of outdoor mycofiltration mat installation in swales, wetlands, riparian buffers, and rain gardens to support watershed health.