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Evidence Guide: AHCARB805 - Perform mycology assays

Student: __________________________________________________

Signature: _________________________________________________

Tips for gathering evidence to demonstrate your skills

The important thing to remember when gathering evidence is that the more evidence the better - that is, the more evidence you gather to demonstrate your skills, the more confident an assessor can be that you have learned the skills not just at one point in time, but are continuing to apply and develop those skills (as opposed to just learning for the test!). Furthermore, one piece of evidence that you collect will not usualy demonstrate all the required criteria for a unit of competency, whereas multiple overlapping pieces of evidence will usually do the trick!

From the Wiki University

 

AHCARB805 - Perform mycology assays

What evidence can you provide to prove your understanding of each of the following citeria?

Research pathogenic and saprophytic wood decay fungi species

  1. Investigate role of microbiological organisms on tree and forest health
  2. Investigate the role and contribution of wood decay fungi to forest and tree health, and responses
  3. Examine the taxonomy and evolutionary relationships of corticoid and polypore wood decay fungi
  4. Investigate the role of fungal species on specific host trees
  5. Analyse lifecycle, biology, ecology and effects of wood decay fungal species
  6. Examine relationship between fungal species and tree defects and failures
  7. Analyse biosecurity implications of pathogenic fungal species
  8. Review state and federal biosecurity plans and procedures
Investigate role of microbiological organisms on tree and forest health

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Investigate the role and contribution of wood decay fungi to forest and tree health, and responses

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Examine the taxonomy and evolutionary relationships of corticoid and polypore wood decay fungi

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Investigate the role of fungal species on specific host trees

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Analyse lifecycle, biology, ecology and effects of wood decay fungal species

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Examine relationship between fungal species and tree defects and failures

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Analyse biosecurity implications of pathogenic fungal species

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review state and federal biosecurity plans and procedures

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evaluate decay and identify fungi in trees

  1. Observe and evaluate signs and symptoms of fungi causing decay in trees
  2. Identify wood decaying fungi to generic level in field
  3. Identify non-pathogenic fungi to generic level in field
  4. Record location, size, and condition of wood decay fungi and mycoparasites of hollows and cavities in trees
  5. Document details of environmental characteristics of fungal affected trees
  6. Determine methods of dissemination and infection of fungi to other trees and vegetation
  7. Sample wood decay fungi and mycoparasites from trees for in-vitro culture and identification
Observe and evaluate signs and symptoms of fungi causing decay in trees

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Identify wood decaying fungi to generic level in field

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Identify non-pathogenic fungi to generic level in field

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Record location, size, and condition of wood decay fungi and mycoparasites of hollows and cavities in trees

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Document details of environmental characteristics of fungal affected trees

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Determine methods of dissemination and infection of fungi to other trees and vegetation

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sample wood decay fungi and mycoparasites from trees for in-vitro culture and identification

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prepare in-vitro media, cultures

  1. Select, check and fit personal protective equipment and contamination prevention clothing according to workplace procedures
  2. Decant and prepare standard laboratory chemicals and materials
  3. Prepare selective media to isolate and culture mycology specimens
  4. Prepare field samples ready for culturing on media
  5. Excise specimens and apply to media
  6. Maintain cultures and repeat excise procedures to isolate clean specimens
  7. Prepare and maintain cultured samples for further testing
  8. Update records and store securely according to chain of evidence protocols
Select, check and fit personal protective equipment and contamination prevention clothing according to workplace procedures

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Decant and prepare standard laboratory chemicals and materials

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prepare selective media to isolate and culture mycology specimens

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prepare field samples ready for culturing on media

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excise specimens and apply to media

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maintain cultures and repeat excise procedures to isolate clean specimens

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prepare and maintain cultured samples for further testing

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Update records and store securely according to chain of evidence protocols

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conduct laboratory identification and assays

  1. Prepare microscope slides of isolated cultures
  2. Examine and identify cultured fungal samples
  3. Perform laboratory identification of wood decay fungi to generic level
  4. Record digital images of identified fungi
  5. Perform laboratory assay tests to evaluate fungal characteristics
  6. Document experimental assay test results
  7. Develop and maintain mycology culture collection and submit to government database and culture collections according to procedures
  8. Prepare a diagnostic report on suspected emergency plant pest according to state and federal biosecurity procedures
Prepare microscope slides of isolated cultures

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Examine and identify cultured fungal samples

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perform laboratory identification of wood decay fungi to generic level

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Record digital images of identified fungi

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perform laboratory assay tests to evaluate fungal characteristics

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Document experimental assay test results

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Develop and maintain mycology culture collection and submit to government database and culture collections according to procedures

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prepare a diagnostic report on suspected emergency plant pest according to state and federal biosecurity procedures

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessed

Teacher: ___________________________________ Date: _________

Signature: ________________________________________________

Comments:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instructions to Assessors

Required Skills and Knowledge

An individual demonstrating competency must satisfy all of the elements and performance criteria in this unit.

There must be evidence that the individual has performed the following:

conducted field identification of a minimum of ten wood decay fungi to generic level

conducted field identification of a minimum of ten non-pathogenic fungi to generic level

analysed the lifecycle, biology, ecology and effects of a minimum of ten saprophytic wood decay fungi species on trees

analysed the lifecycle, biology, ecology and effects of a minimum of ten pathogenic wood decay fungi species on trees

collected, cultured, analysed and identified a minimum of five wood decay fungi to generic level.

There must also be evidence that the individual has:

researched the role of microorganisms in the health of trees and forests

researched the role and contribution of wood decay fungi to forest and tree health, and responses

examined the taxonomy and evolutionary relationships of corticoid and polypore wood decay fungi

investigated the role of fungal species on various hosts

analysed lifecycle, biology, ecology and effects of wood decay fungi species

examined relationships of fungal species with tree defects and failures

analysed biosecurity implications of pathogenic fungal species

reviewed state and federal biosecurity plans and procedures

observed and evaluated signs and symptoms of fungi causing decay in trees

maintained a record of the following for each mycological specimen:

location, size, and condition of wood decay fungi

presence of mycoparasites

size, condition and extent of hollows and cavities

documented details of environmental characteristics of fungal affected trees

determined methods of dissemination and infection of adjacent trees and vegetation

sampled wood decay fungi and mycoparasites from trees for in-vitro culture and identification

selected, checked and fitted personal protective equipment and contamination prevention clothing

decanted and prepared standard laboratory chemicals and materials

prepared selective mycological culture media to grow and isolate field samples

prepared field samples of fungi for culturing on media

excised fungal specimens and applied to media

maintained cultures and repeated excise procedures to isolate clean specimens

prepared and maintained cultured samples for further testing

updated records and securely stored evidence according to chain of evidence protocols

prepared microscope slides of isolated cultures

examined and identified cultured fungal samples to generic level

recorded digital images of identified fungi

performed laboratory assay tests to evaluate fungal characteristics

documented experimental assay test results

developed and maintained a mycology culture collection and submitted to government databases and culture collections according to procedures

prepared a diagnostic report on a suspected emergency plant pest according to state and federal biosecurity procedures.

An individual must be able to demonstrate the knowledge required to perform the tasks outlined in the elements and performance criteria of this unit. This includes knowledge of:

microbiological organisms and their impact on the health of forests and trees, including:

bacteria

fungi

protozoa

algae

viruses

fungi in the forest environment, including impact on:

biodiversity

tree nutrition

forest health

environmental biochemistry

pathology

taxonomy and evolutionary relationships of corticoid and polypore wood decay fungi, including:

lifecycles, biology and ecology

important pathogenic and saprophytic tree wood decaying fungi

tree infections of tree components by fungal species and tree failure

visual symptoms of decay and tree decline, including:

dieback

reduced growth rate and chlorosis

presence of basidiocarps

decayed wounds

hollows and cavities

state and federal biosecurity plans and procedures, including:

biosecurity implications of known and threat fungal species

Australian Emergency Plant Pest Response Plan

field identification of fungi and fungal infections of trees, including:

pathogenic fungi

non-pathogenic fungi

recording and describing location, size and condition of wood decay fungi

presence of mycoparasites

size, condition and extent of hollows and cavities

environmental characteristics and growing conditions of trees affected by fungi, including:

site characteristics and site history

soil conditions

climate and microclimatic variables

proximity of adjacent trees and vegetation

movement of people and vehicles

potential impact on assets, property and landscape

tree infection methods and introduction, establishment, spread, and susceptibility of trees

collecting and sampling of fungi in the field, including:

field sampling techniques of wood decay fungi and mycoparasites

storage of collected samples

standard laboratory techniques and safety when preparing, measuring and decanting chemicals and materials

culturing fungi for identification in the laboratory environment, including:

species-specific media and growing environment for culturing fungi

techniques to prepare and extract field samples for culturing

methods of excising and inoculating media with specimens

isolating clean cultures from primary cultures

preparation and maintaining clean cultured samples

laboratory assay tests for fungal species identification, including:

deoxyribonucleic (DNA) based assay techniques

growth rate

temperature range

pathogenicity

mycoparasitism

documentation of assay test results

laboratory identification of wood decay fungi, including:

procedures and techniques for the preparation of microscope slides of isolated cultures

identification of cultured fungal samples

use of guides, keys and reference materials for identifying fungi

development and maintenance of culture collections

the importance and procedures for chain of evidence protocols, including:

secure storage of digital and physical evidence

storing and recording field samples

maintaining accurate records for slides, cultures and DNA samples

digital imaging techniques and importance in evidence and record keeping

maintaining fungi collections, including:

methods of submission to relevant government databases and culture collections

record keeping, reports and documentation requirements, including:

state and federal biosecurity procedures

emergency plant pest (EPP) and PLANTPLAN guidelines.