Research interests

• Biodiversity and ecology of ecto- (ECM) and ericoid mycorrhizal(ERM) fungi
• Interactions between mycorrhizal fungi and understorey ericaceous vegetation in forest ecosystems
• Morphological characterization and ultra structure of ectomycorrhizas
• Fungal and myxomycetes systematics and phylogeny
• Biotechnology, management and sustainable use of mycorrhizal and edible fungi
• Fungal genetic resources monitoring and bioprospecting

Publications

• Villarreal-Ruiz L, Anderson IC and Alexander IJ. 2004. The interaction between an isolate from the Hymenoscyphus ericae aggregate and roots of Pinus and Vaccinium. New Phytologist 164 (in press).
• Villarreal L and Gómez A. 1997. Inventory and monitoring wild edible mushrooms in Mexico: Challenge and opportunity for sustainable development. In: Mycology in sustainable development: expanding concepts, vanishing borders. Palm ME and Chapela IH (eds). Parkway Publishers, Boone, North Carolina, pp. 99-109.
• Villarreal L. 1995. The edible mushrooms: an alterative to the integral management of forest. In: Alternatives to the management of mountainsides in Veracruz. SEMARNAP-FRIEDRICH EBERT STIFTUNG, Mexico D.F., pp. 97-201.
• Villarreal L and Pérez-Moreno J. 1991. The clavarioid fungi of Mexico, I. Addition of the genera Macrotyphula and Typhula. Micologia Neotropical Aplicada. 4: 119-126.
• Villarreal L. 1990. Studies on the Myxomycetes of Mexico, I. New records. Micologia Neotropical Aplicada. 3: 67-79.
• Villarreal L and Pérez-Moreno J. 1989. Use and conservation of the "American Matsutake" (Tricholoma magnivelare) in Mexican forests. Micologia Neotropical Aplicada. 2: 131-144.
• Pérez-Moreno J and Villarreal L. 1989. First report of the clavarioid genera Lachnocladium and Pterula (Holobasidiomyctes)from the Mexican tropics. Micologia Neotropical Aplicada. 2: 123-130.
• Villarreal L and Pérez-Moreno J. 1989. Wild edible fungi from Mexico, an integral approach. Micologia Neotropical Aplicada. 2: 77-114.
• Pérez-Moreno J and Villarreal L. 1988. The fungi and myxomycetes from the State of Chiapas. State of knowledge and new records. Micologia Neotropical Aplicada. 1: 97-133.
• Villarreal L. 1987. Production of the wild edible mushrooms in the forest of Mexico (Part 4). Revista Mexicana de Micologia. 3: 265-282.
• Villarreal L and G Guzmán. 1986. Production of the wild edible mushrooms in the forest of Mexico (Part 3). Revista Mexicana de Micologia. 2: 259-277.
• Villarreal L and G Guzmán. 1986. Production of the wild edible mushrooms in the forest of Mexico (Part 2). Biotica. 11: 271-286.
• Villarreal L and G Guzmán. 1985. Production of the wild edible mushrooms in the forest of Mexico (Part 1). Revista Mexicana de Micologia. 2: 259-277.
• Villarreal L. 1985. New records of Myxomycetes from the Veracruz State. Revista Mexicana de Micologia. 1: 363-377.
• G Guzmán and Villarreal L. 1984. Studies of fungi, lichens and myxomycetes from Cofre de Perote, Veracruz,I. Introduction to the mycoflora of the region. Boletin Sociedad Mexicana de Micologia. 19: 107-124.
• Villarreal L. 1983. Some Myxomycetes not reported from the State of Veracruz (Mexico). Boletin Sociedad Mexicana de Micologia. 18: 153-164.
• López A, Villarreal L and Sosa A. 1981a. Studies on the Myxomycetes from the Veracruz State, V. Boletin de la Sociedad Mexicana de Micologia. 16: 95-104.
• López A, Villarreal L and Sosa A. 1981b. Studies on the Myxomycetes from the Veracruz State III. Boletin Sociedad Mexicana de Micologia. 16: 77-94.
• López A, Sosa A and Villarreal L. 1981. Studies on the Myxomycetes from the Veracruz State II. Biotica 6: 45-56.
• López A, Sosa A and Villarreal L. 1979. Studies on the Myxomycetes from the Veracruz State I. Boletin Sociedad Mexicana de Micologia. 13: 127-144.

General sciences publications

• Villarreal L. 1996a. Gaia the mother earth: a new look at the living world? IREGEP-informa: Newsletter of the Institute of Productivity and Genetics Resources, Postgraduate Colege in Agricultural Sciences. No 8 (November-December): 1-3.
• Villarreal L. 1996b. Why plant genetic resources are so important? IREGEP-informa: Newsletter of the Institute of Productivity and Genetics Resources, Postgraduate Colege in Agricultural Sciences. No 6 (July-August): 1-3.
• Villarreal L. 1995. The pine mushroom: a genetic resource for the sustainable development in Mexico. In: Mushrooms, biodiversity and sustainable development. Vázquez-García A (ed.). Proceedings of the XI Tlaxcala State mushroom exhibition. Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, pp. 46-48.
• Villarreal L. and Castillo F. 1995. The study of fungal genetics resources in the Institute of Productivity and Genetics Resources. Interaction: Newsletter of the Postgraduate Colege in Agricultural Sciences. No 12 (June): 7.
• Aldrete A, Hernández de la Rosa P, Sánchez-Avila S, Villarreal-Ruiz L. 1993. Handbook for the operation and management of forestry nurseries. Postgraduate Colege in Agricultural Sciences-Solidarity Forestry Program (Mexican Government), Montecillo, Mexico.
• Villarreal L and Guzmán G. 1986. The fungal collection of XAL-INIREB Herbarium. National Research Institute for Biotic Resources (INIREB), Divulgate handbooks No. 28, Xalapa, Mexico.
• Noriega-Portilla L, López A, Sosa A and Villarreal L. 1979. What are fungi? School of Biological Sciences, University of Veracruz-Mexican Mycological Society, Xalapa, Mexico.
• López A, Sosa A and Villarreal L. 1979. Ecology and taxonomy of the Myxomycetes of Veracruz State. Genesis 2: 1-4.

Selected Poster presentation

• Villarreal-Ruiz L., Alexander IJ and Anderson IC. 2003. Interactions between ectomycorrhizal fungi and ericoid plants. Abstract 417, p. 429. The Fourth International Conference on Mycorrhizae (ICOM4), Montreal, Canada.
• Villarreal-Ruiz L., Anderson I and Alexander IJ. 2002. Do Piceirhiza bicolorata mycobionts form both ecto- and ericoid mycorrhizas? Abstract 1050, p. 317. The 7th International Mycological Congress, Oslo, Norway.
• Villarreal L and Gómez A. 1994. Productivity of wild edible mushrooms in a Neotropical coniferous forest of Mexico. Proceedings of the 15th World Congress of Soil Science, Acapulco, Mexico, pp. 81-82.

Selected Platform presentations

• Villarreal L, Gómez A., Ayala-Sosa and González-Loera J. 1997. Sustainable use potential of wild edible mushrooms in two indigenous peasants communities of Central Mexico. III International Symposium & IV National Meeting on Sustainable Agriculture, Guadalajara, Mexico.
• Villarreal L and Gómez A. 1995. Monitoring and inventory of biological diversity of wild edible mushrooms in a coniferous forest of Mexico. Workshop: Mycology in sustainable development-expanding concepts, vanishing borders. Mycological Society of America Annual Meeting/ 46th Annual Meeting of the American Institute of Biological Sciences, San Diego, California, USA.
• Villarreal L and Pérez-Moreno J. 1990. Ecology, use and conservation of the "American Matsutake", an ectomycorrhizal edible mushroom from the forests of Mexico. Simposium: Mycological Studies in Latin America. V Latin American Botany Congress. La Habana, Cuba.
• Villarreal L and Pérez-Moreno J. 1988. Studies on the ecology and use of ectomycorrhizal edible mushrooms in Mexico. First Meeting of the Latin American Society of Mycorrhizologists, La Habana, Cuba.

Research experience

• Researcher-Docent, Postgraduate College in Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Productivity and Genetic Resources (CP-IREGEP), Genetics Program, Montecillo, Mexico, 1992-2003.
• Senior Mycologist, Institute of Applied Neotropical Mycology(IMINAP), Xalapa, Mexico, 1989-1992.
• Senior Researcher, the National Research Institute for Biotic Resources (INIREB), Xalapa, Mexico, 1983-1988.

Education & Background

• Present PhD Candidate, Biodiversity and ecology of ectomycorrhizal fungi in a Scots pine chronosequence and their potential interactions with the understorey ericaceous vegetation, University of Aberdeen, UK. Supervisors: IJ Alexander, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK; IC Anderson, Macaulay Institute, Aberdeen, UK.
• MSc 1994, Ecological and sylvicultural analyses of wild edible mushrooms natural productivity in forests of Cofre de Perote, Veracruz, Postgraduate College in Agricultural Sciences, Mexico. Supervisors: Carlos Rodriguez Franco PhD, the National Institute of Forestry and Agricultural Research, Chapingo, Mexico; Antonio Trinidad Santos PhD, Postgraduate College in Agricultural Sciences, Montecillo, Mexico.
• BSc 1986, Preliminary quantitative analysis of wild edible mushrooms natural productivity in forests of Cofre de Perote, Veracruz, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico. Supervisor: Gaston Guzman Huerta, Dr. in Sciences, the National Research Institute for Biotic Resources, Xalapa, Mexico.

Other activities

• Founder and Director, Fungal Genetics Resources Laboratory, Genetics Program, Institute of Productivity and Genetic Resources, Postgraduate College in Agricultural Sciences, Montecillo, Mexico, 1995-1998.
• Editor in Chief, IREGEP-Informa: Newsletter of the Institute of Productivity and Genetics Resources, Postgraduate College in Agricultural Sciences, 1995-1996.
• Editor and Editorial Board Advisor, Agrociencia Journal (ISSN 1405-3195), Postgraduate College in Agricultural Sciences, Mexico, 1995-1999.
• Technological Advisor, National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT-Reg. no. RCCT-0344), Mexican Government, Mexico, 1994-1998.
• Scientific Advisor, National Commission for the implementation of the emergency policy for the transport of wild edible mushrooms in Mexico. Secretary of Agriculture, Mexican Government, Mexico City, May-July, 1994.
• Editor, Agroproductividad. Postgraduate College in Agricultural Sciences, Mexico, 1994.
• Referee, Agrociencia: Natural Resources Series (ISSN-0188-7394), Postgraduate College in Agricultural Sciences, Mexico, 1993-1994.
• Scientific Advisor, Ecology Commission, Xalapa City Council, Xalapa, Veracruz, 1990-1992.
• Broadcaster and writer, TV (Veracruz State Chanel 4+) and radio (Radio Universidad Veracruzana & private radio stations) programs on mycology and environmental sciences education, 1987-1989.
• Editor and co-founder, Micologia Neotropical Aplicada Journal (ISSN 0187-8921). Sponsored by: Institute of Applied Neotropical Mycology (IMINAP), Mexico; Postgraduate College in Agricultural Sciences (CP), Mexico; National Council for Science and Technology(CONACYT), Mexico; Institut Français de Recherche Scientifique pour le Developpment en Cooperation (ORSTOM), France; International Foundation for Sciences (IFS), Sweden, 1988-2000.
• Director, Ecology and conservation of wild fungi program. Institute of Applied Neotropical Mycology, Xalapa, Mexico, 1989-1992.
• Director (curator), mycological section XAL herbarium, the National Research Institute for Biotic Resources, Xalapa, Mexico, 1983-1988.
• Collaborative work, Mexican Mycological Society in 25 mushroom exhibitions and mycological workshops in Mexico, 1979-1993.

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