Fungi are among the most versatile and diverse groups of organisms in
their morphology, life cycles, and ecology. This has provided endless
fasci- nation and intrigue to those who have studied fungi, but it has
also made it difficult to understand fungal biology from the perspective
of the broader fields of evolution, ecology, genetics, and population
biology. That is changing. Details of fungal biology have been
elucidated at an exciting pace, increasingly allowing us to understand
fungi on the bases of general biological principles. Moreover, many who
study fungi have lately emulated some of the great mycologists and plant
pathologists of the early years in applying an insight born of broad
perspective. This change has been particularly apparent in fungal
population biology. In this book, many of those at the forefront of that
change summarize, integrate and comment on recent developments and ideas
on populations of fungi. By taking a broad perspective, they show how
new information on fungi may contribute to concepts and ideas of biology
as a whole. Just as important, they contribute to further invigoration
of fungal population research by illuminating mycology with new ideas
and concepts, derived in part from other biological fields.