When you ask professors what they did over the weekend, you never know what kind of answer to expect, especially from biology professors. For instance, recently Dr. Rachel Jones, associate professor of biology, went to Boehler Seeps near Atoka to do a fungal survey.

A fungal survey is basically a hunt for fungi and making note of all species that are found in a given area. The Oklahoma Nature Conservancy approached Jones and asked if she would be the lead researcher for this fungal survey.

“I’ve always been interested in fungi,” Jones said.

During this year-long project, the land will be surveyed every month for fungal species and the complete list will be given to the Nature Conservancy around this time next year.

Jones and fellow biologists across the state are discussing creating a field book for fungal species found in Oklahoma.

“Many species of toxic mushrooms closely resemble edible mushrooms and it’s important to know the difference,” Jones said.

As someone who cultivates edible fungi themselves, Jones knows how important it is to correctly identify fungi you intend to consume. This book would aid in that and be a useful tool for anyone that routinely eats wild fungi.

In addition to the fungal survey, the Nature Conservancy also asked Jones if she would lead a 20 – year successional plot survey at Oka Yanahli, which is another tract of land owned by the conservancy. Jones will monitor the succession of a grassland area back to a hardwood forest by calculating the rate and trajectory of the transition.