Steps towards Sustainable Harvest of Yartsa Gunbu (Caterpillar Fungus, Ophiocordyceps sinensis)
Caterpillar fungus (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) is an insect-parasitizing fungus endemic to the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas,where it is known as Yartsa Gunbu,summer grass winter worm.It has become the most important source of cash income in wide areas of the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas.The value of this fungus-insect larva complex has increased by 10-fold between 1997 and 2011.Centuries of collection indicates that caterpillar fungus is a relatively renewable resource.However,unprecedented collection intensity recent economic dependence of local economies on caterpillar fungus collection and possible climate change call for sustainable resource management.The most promising solutions arean education campaign,which spreads the knowledge on fungal reproduction to encourage cessation of collection of low-value late-season specimens and an easily implementable establishment of an end date to the collection season,which might allow for sufficient spore dispersal to guarantee sustainability.Interviews with collectors,dealers and administrators during field work in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture,Qinghai Province,have yielded promising results that support for such an initiative to provide sufficient outreach that explains the reproductive mechanism of caterpillar fungus to all stakeholders.
DANIEL WINKLER
9725 NE 130th PI., Kirkland WA 98034-USA
国际会议
The 7th International Medicinal Mushroom Congerence(第七届国际药用菌大会(IMMC7)
北京
英文
635-644
2013-08-26（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）