Hunting dog behaviour is a key driver impacting harvest quantity and quality of truffles.

ABSTRACT: Truffles are an iconic food that have long held high regard. Here we explore the seasonality and eco-physiological interactions affecting truffle quality and quantity across time and space. Collaborating with professional truffle hunters working eight different locations, detailed metrics of 3180 recovered truffles from 236 hunt events and spanning a full fruiting period, were recorded. Contrary to expectations, truffle weight showed no correlation with climate variables, suggesting a limited influence of environmental factors such as temperature and precipitation on truffle size. We also found that truffle maturity and damage from mycophagy were strongly linked, with deeper truffles being more mature but also more susceptible to damage. Finally, we observe that scent-dog behaviour signifi

SUBMITTER: Thomas PW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11906787 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature