In this study, we combined classical taxonomy, DNA barcoding, environmental metabarcoding, and citizen science to assess the diversity and distribution of the genus Sarcoscypha in Ukraine. A targeted citizen science campaign yielded 53 specimens, enabling detailed morphological and molecular characterisation. Only two species, S. austriaca and S. coccinea, were confirmed. Morphological identification was best achieved based on the shape of the excipular hairs and spore size, although some overlap was observed. The ascoma survey revealed that S. austriaca is the most common and widely distributed species in Ukraine, whereas S. coccinea is rare and geographically restricted. However, environmental DNA detected in soil samples revealed a broader range for S. coccinea than indicated by fruitbody records, suggesting that climatic or microhabitat constraints may limit the formation of apothecia. Modelling the probability of presence of the genus Sarcoscypha based on 298 fruitbody records and 13 environmental variables showed that the proportion of deciduous tree species was the strongest predictor of presence, with limited explanatory power of climatic variables. Our results demonstrate the power of integrating citizen science and molecular tools to assess fungal diversity, while also revealing the limitations of presence-only models in capturing ecological nuances in ephemeral fungi.
Leshchenko Y., Prylutskyi O., Yatsiuk I. (2025): Distribution and ecology of genus Sarcoscypha in Ukraine: what can we learn from citizen science, morphology, barcoding, and eDNA? – Czech Mycology 77(2): 193–211.
