Legacies from natural forest dynamics: Different effects of forest management on wood-inhabiting fungi in pine and spruce forests

The species composition of wood-inhabiting fungi (polypores and corticoids) was investigated on 1138 spruce logs and 992 pine logs in 90 managed and 34 natural or near-natural spruce and pine forests in SE Norway.Altogether, the study included 290 species of wood-inhabiting fungi. Comparisons of logs with similar properties (standardized tree species, decay class, dimension class) in natural and managed forests showed a significant reduction in species number per log in managed spruce forests, but not in managed pine forests. The species number per log in managed spruce forests was 10-55% lower than on logs from natural spruce forests. The reduction was strongest on logs of large dimensions. A comparison of 200-400 spruce logs from natural and managed forests showed a 25% reduction in species richness corresponding to a conservative loss of ca. 40 species on a regional scale.A closer inspection revealed that species confined to medium and very decayed spruce logs were disfavored in managed forests, whereas species on early decay classes and decay generalists were unaffected. Similarly, species preferring large spruce logs were disfavored in managed forests. Forest management had strongest impact on low-frequent species in the spruce forests (more than 50% reduction), whereas common species were modestly affected. Corticoid fungi were more adversely affected than polypore fungi.These results indicate that wood-decaying fungi in pine forests are more adapted to forest disturbances than spruce-associated species. Management measures securing a continuous supply of dead wood are more important in spruce forests than in pine forests.     

辽宁省主要外生菌根真菌生境调查及探讨

对辽宁省主要针阔混交林进行了外生茵根真菌的种类调查和生境调查,获得外生茵根真菌82种(其中菌根性食、药用菌66种),隶属于13科24属;发现了2种辽宁省外生茵根真菌新记录种;掌握了辽宁省油松、落叶松、樟子松、红松以及柞树林下的外生菌根真菌的种类、优势种以及环境因子与子实体间的关系,对主要外生茵根真菌生境进行了阐释和深入的探讨.     

Red-listed wood-inhabiting fungi in natural and managed forest landscapes adjacent to the timberline in central Sweden

Many wood-inhabiting fungi are today threatened as modern forestry practices drastically reduce the amount of dead wood available in various forest ecosystems. We investigated whether the occurrence of red-listed wood-inhabiting fungi differed between natural and managed forest landscapes adjacent to the timberline in the middle part of Sweden. We assessed whether environmental variables such as the degree of human impact, length of forest roads, dead wood volume and quality affected species richness and abundance. The effects of forestry on wood-inhabiting fungi have been assessed in several studies in lowland Swedish forests. Few studies have, however, been conducted in forest landscapes adjacent to the timberline in Sweden. This is potentially important since forests close to the Swedish mountains have been pointed out as one of few intact forest landscapes in Fennoscandia and they are subjected to increasing logging pressure. Similar to other studies, species numbers and abundances were positively correlated with larger volumes of logs in various decay stages. However, never shown previously, the length of forest roads was negatively correlated with species abundance and occurrence of red-listed species. We suggest that a low amount of forest roads can be used as a conservation indicator to localize still-intact forest landscapes.     

On the structural and species diversity effects of bark beetle disturbance in forests during initial and advanced early-seral stages at different scales

Following disturbances, early-seral stages of forests provide a variety of structures. Whether this variety is a short-term phenomenon or influences forest succession for several decades or even longer is not known. We tested the hypotheses that after spruce dieback caused by bark beetles, a high spatial heterogeneity of stand structures will persist within stands and among stands even in advanced early-seral stages and that species taxonomical and functional diversity measures will reflect this heterogeneity. We used a chronosequence of unmanaged forests in the Berchtesgaden National Park (Germany) consisting of mature undisturbed spruce stands (control), stands belonging to an initial early-seral stage (~3 years after disturbance) and stands in an advanced early-seral stage (~20 years after disturbance). We analysed diversity and heterogeneity of these forest stands including stand structure, species density, species composition and functional–phylogenetic diversity of vascular plants, wood-inhabiting fungi and saproxylic beetles within plots, among plots of the same successional stage and among stages. Stands of the advanced early-seral stage were characterized by a high spatial heterogeneity of structural attributes, such as crown cover, regeneration density and spatial distribution of trees. Among-plot taxonomic beta diversity was highest in the advanced early-seral stage for beetles, but lowest for fungi, while beta diversity of plants among plots remained unchanged during succession. The mosaic of successional stages initiated by bark beetles increased the gamma diversity of the study area, especially for fungi and beetles. Our findings support the hypothesis that structural heterogeneity continues for at least two decades at stand and landscape scales and that species turnover among successional stages is a major mechanism for gamma diversity in forests after bark beetle disturbance.     

Spatial distribution of dead wood and the occurrence of five saproxylic fungi in old-growth timberline spruce forests in northern Finland

Abstract

Adequate understanding of the factors that determine the establishment and survival of dead-wood-dependent species in natural forests is a prerequisite to the successful maintenance of these species in managed forests. This study investigated the factors affecting the occurrence of five wood-inhabiting polypores in old-growth timberline spruce forests in northern Finland, including the substrate availability and the spatial arrangement of large-diameter logs. The volume of coarse woody debris (CWD) varied significantly between the sites (range 15–30 m³ ha^?1), large-diameter logs comprising on average 35% of the total CWD volume. However, the within-site variation in CWD volume was 10–15 times larger than the between-site variation. The spatial distribution of large-diameter logs was aggregated or initially aggregated on four sites and random on one site, creating local patches of high CWD volume. An individual target species occurred on average on 8% of all large-diameter logs, and on 11% of optimal logs (as determined by the decay stage). The characteristics of the logs and stand variables explained partly the occurrence of the target species; furthermore, the mortality pattern of trees (stem breakage versus uprooting) and the presence of primary decomposers also significantly affected the occurrence of the target species. The results indicate that besides substrate availability and quality, local habitat factors and species interactions also play a role in the occurrence of wood-inhabiting fungi in boreal timberline forests.     

中国东北地区的立木腐朽菌

简要论述了中国东北地区的立木腐朽菌,共报道危害活立木的木腐菌４９种,对每个种的寄主、腐朽类型及分布进行了报道,它们中多数造成白色腐朽,少数导致褐色腐朽,其中在我国首次报道为森林病原菌的种类有：白黄小薄孔菌Ａｎｔｒｏｄｉｅｌｌａ ａｌｂｏｃｉｎｎａｍｏｍｅａ,奥氏蜜环菌Ａｒｍｉｌｌａｒｉａ ａｓｔｏｙａｅ,亚黑管孔菌Ｂｊｅｒｋａｎｄｅｒａ ｆｕｍｏｓａ,硬栓孔菌Ｆｕｎａｌｉａ ｔｒａｇｉｉ,小孔异担     

Response of fungal and plant communities to management-induced overstorey changes in montane forests of the Western Carpathians

The effect of forest management on biodiversity is a crucial issue for sustainable forestry and nature conservation. However, the ways in which management affects macrofungal and plant communities and diversity of mountain temperate forests still remain poorly understood. We performed a random sampling stratified by stand age and stand type on the sites of temperate montane fir–beech forests. Diversity of macrofungi and the vascular plant understorey in beech- and spruce-dominated managed stands was investigated and compared to primeval forests located in the Po?ana Biosphere Reserve, Western Carpathians. Both the vascular plant and the macrofungal communities were altered by management, and the response of the macrofungal species (especially wood-inhabiting fungi) was more pronounced in terms of species composition change. Species turnover evaluation seems to be an important tool of forest natural status assessment, because alpha diversity did not change as much as species composition. Certain species of Carpathian primeval forests were confirmed as good indicators for natural forest change; others were proposed. Species pool and mean number of species per plot were the highest in unmanaged fir–beech forests, and species diversity significantly decreased in spruce plantations. The number of species decreased significantly due to the change of canopy tree species composition only in the macrofungal communities. As an outcome for forest management, we recommend keeping mixed forests involving all natural tree species and providing at least a minimal amount of dead wood necessary for wood-inhabiting organisms and leaving some area of unmanaged natural forests within complexes of managed stands.     

A continuum of dead wood with various habitat elements maintains the diversity of wood-inhabiting fungi in an old-growth boreal forest

Evidence on habitat associations of threatened wood-inhabiting species in boreal forests may contribute to a better understanding of their ecology and conservation needs. We examined the diversity of wood-inhabiting fungal communities in an old-growth boreal forest with high substrate availability and continuity based on repeated surveys of fruit bodies. The number of species in morphological and functional groups in relation to coarse woody debris (CWD) attributes was estimated with generalized linear models. Additionally, we calculated species interaction networks of CWD attributes and fungal species. The composition of fungal communities was analysed using a non-metric multidimensional scaling with subsequent environmental fitting. Old conifer (especially spruce) logs and large aspen logs with branches represented the most important substrates for the red-listed species and the indicator species of old-growth boreal forests. Among “dynamic” CWD attributes such as time since tree death, decay class and stage of epixylic succession, the latter was the most important indicator of diversity of all species and their morphological and functional groups. The interaction network provided evidence of the importance of tree species diversity for fungal diversity. The composition of fungal communities was tree species specific and related to dynamic attributes, bark cover and diameter of logs. Our results suggest the importance of a continuum of dead wood from different tree species with a variety of niches such as branches, exposed wood, fragmented and complete cover of bark and patches of epixylic vegetation to maintain the assemblages of wood-inhabiting fungi in an old-growth boreal forest.     

中国东北杨树上的木腐菌

本文是中国东北地区木腐菌研究结果的一部分,简要论述了中国东北地区杨树上的木材腐朽菌,共报道了生长在杨树或杨树木材及腐木上的担子菌121种。其中多数生长在杨树倒木或朽木上,大多数造成白色腐朽,少数导致褐色腐朽。硬粗毛孔菌Funaliatrogii(Berk.)Bondartsev＆Singer和浅黄褐栓菌Trametesochracea(Pers.)Gilb.＆Ryvarden等为人工林及行道树上常见种类;中国锐孔菌OxyporussinensisX.L.Zeng和瓦尼木层孔菌PhellinusvaniniiLjub.等种类只发生在杨树原始林或保存完好的天然林分,它们当中有的为稀有种或濒危种类。杨纤孔菌Inonotusrheades(Pers.)Bondartsev＆Singer和大孔薄孔菌AntrodialeucaenaY.C.Dai＆Niemel 等是杨树上特有种类;杨木层孔菌Phellinustremulae(Bondartsev)Bondartsev＆Borisov和树舌灵芝Ganodermalipsiense(Batsch)G.F.Atk等为杨树上的病原菌。     

Assemblages of wood-inhabiting fungi related to silvicultural management intensity in beech forests in southern Germany

Current silvicultural treatments in beech forests are aimed at achieving thick logs without discoloured hardwood. Therefore intensive thinning is applied already in younger stands with the objective of large-sized trunks at an age of 100 years. However, this approach bears the risk that dead wood structures and broken trees are completely removed from the forest. The impact of three different silvicultural management intensity levels on wood-inhabiting fungi over decades was investigated in a large beech forest (>10,000 ha) in southern Germany in 69 sampling plots: A Intensive Thinning and Logging with high-value trees, B Conservation-Oriented Logging with integration of special structures such as dead wood and broken trees and C Strict Forest Reserves with no logging for 30 years. The analysis of community showed marked differences in the fungus species composition of the three treatments, independent of stand age. The relative frequencies of species between treatments were statistically different. Indicator species for naturalness were more abundant at sites with low silvicultural management intensity. Fomes fomentarius, the most common fungus in virgin forests and strict forest reserves, is almost missing in forests with high-management intensity. The species richness seemed to be lower where intensive thinning was applied (P = 0.051). Species characteristic for coarse woody debris were associated to low management intensity, whereas species with a significant preference for stumps became more frequent with increasing management intensity. A total amount of dead wood higher than 60 m³/ha was found to enable significantly higher numbers of species indicators of naturalness (P = 0.013). In conclusion, when applying intensive silvicultural treatment, the role of dead wood needs to be actively considered in order to maintain the natural biocoenosis of beech forests.     

Estimating breast height diameter and volume from stump diameter for three economically important species in Turkey

Abstract

In Fennoscandia, the concept of woodland key habitats has become one of the key concepts when defining hotspots for forest biodiversity. There is a serious lack of studies, however, in which the diversity value of the assumed key habitats has been assessed for any groups of organisms. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the woodland key habitats as defined in the Finnish Forest Act can be advocated as diversity hotspots for polypores, a group of wood-decaying fungi including several red-listed species and species used as indicators for conservation value of forests. The study area was situated in the southern boreal zone, in eastern Finland. In total, 72 woodland key habitat sites representing six different habitat types, and 12 production forest sites as controls were investigated for their polypore assemblages. A total of 2077 records of 93 species was made, of which only 17 records of nine species were red-listed. On average, key habitats hosted more species than control forests, but of the six habitat types, only fresh and mesic–moist herb-rich forests differed significantly in species number from the control forests. Compared with control forests, key habitats can maintain rich polypore flora but, because of the low number of red-listed species found, they are likely to be of little help in the conservation of threatened polypores.     

Wood-decaying fungi in the forest: conservation needs and management options

Wood-decaying fungi are essential for the functioning of forest ecosystems. They provide habitat for many other organisms and enable the regeneration of forests throughout the world. Since wood decomposition is a decisive process in nutrient recycling, soil formation and the carbon budget of forest ecosystems, it is receiving increasing attention from forest ecologists, pathologists and managers. Research has focussed on the factors driving the species-richness of wood-decomposing organisms and is moving on to analyse the effects of this species-richness on ecosystem functioning. Coarse woody debris (CWD) and its associated wood-decaying organisms have been drastically reduced in abundance and diversity by forestry and so these features often have potential as conservation indicators. Protective measures at a landscape level are needed for threatened wood-inhabiting fungi. These include restricting salvage operations in windthrow stands, actively encouraging the accumulation of deadwood in forests, and facilitating decay in standing trees by inoculating them with fungi. Here, we aim to collect and summarize recently produced work on deadwood ecology, pointing out research gaps and perspectives.     

Does size matter?: On the importance of various dead wood fractions for fungal diversity in Danish beech forests

The importance of different fractions of coarse wood debris (cwd) for species diversity of wood-inhabiting fungi was investigated in near-natural Danish beech stands. Species number per tree increased significantly with increasing tree size, pointing out large trees to be most valuable for fungal diversity if single samples are compared. Rarefaction curves, evaluating the importance of different cwd fractions in a cumulative space, revealed a different and more complex picture. Rarefaction curves based on wood volume showed small trees and branches to host more species per volume unit than larger trees and logs, respectively, while snags were the most species-poor fraction. Surface-based curves showed species density to be rather similar among cwd types, though species density still decreased slightly with tree size. These results are interpreted to reflect a combination of two factors: firstly, small diameter cwd represent a larger surface area per volume and hence more space for fungal sporocarps, than large diameter cwd. This ‘surface area factor’ explains the high degree of similarity of the surface-based rarefaction curves. Secondly, a collection of small diameter cwd involves more separate units than an equal volume of large diameter cwd, and represents thereby more individual cases of fungal infection and, most likely, more variation in environmental conditions. The effect of this ‘number of item factor’ is reflected in the slightly increasing species density per surface area with decreasing tree size. Richness patterns of red-listed and non-red-listed species were found to be strikingly similar across cwd types, and a general preference for large logs among red-listed species was hence absent. An individual look at the most frequent encountered red-listed species revealed substrate preference patterns to occur in three of six species, of which one, the heart-rot agent Ischnoderma resinosum, preferred large logs. Based on these results, it would be obvious to conclude that local fungal species diversity is most efficiently increased in managed forests if small diameter cwd is prioritised for natural decay. However, small diameter wood appear to be unable to support heart-rot agents and other species depending on a long and diverse infection history and thus the integrity of saproxylic communities may be seriously undermined if only small diameter cwd is left for decay. Therefore, we strongly recommend that whole, naturally dead trees, representing the full range of cwd habitats, are prioritised for natural decay in managed forests whenever possible.     

The effects of burning and dead-wood creation on the diversity of pioneer wood-inhabiting fungi in managed boreal spruce forests

The loss of natural forest habitats due to forestry is the main reason for the decline in boreal forest biodiversity of the Nordic countries of Europe. Ecological rehabilitation may provide means to recover and sustain biodiversity. We analyzed the effects of controlled burning and dead-wood creation (DWC) on the diversity of pioneer wood-inhabiting fungi in managed Norway spruce (Picea abies) forests in southern Finland. Altogether 18 stands were first subjected to a partial cutting with ordinary logging residues in form of cut stumps and treetops left on site. The subsequent rehabilitation treatments consisted of a controlled burning applied in half of the stands and three levels of dead-wood creation (5, 30 and 60 m³ ha⁻¹). The DWC involved creation of logs; felling of whole trees to mimic downed logs formed by natural disturbance processes. Each treatment was replicated three times. Inside each stand, substrates were sampled in two different biotopes; one on mineral soil and one on mineral soil with a thin peat layer. We surveyed the fungal flora on the logs (n = 364) and the ordinary residue stumps (n = 1767) and tops (n = 845) five years after the treatments.When comparing different stands, controlled burning had a significant effect on species composition; certain species were significantly more frequent on substrates in burned stands than in unburned stands, indicating that these species were favored by controlled burning. By contrast, we found no significant effects of DWC levels or biotope on species composition or richness. When comparing different substrates, 99% of the logs hosted at least one species and the occurrence probability of certain species was significantly higher on logs than on ordinary residue stumps and tops. Yet, volume-based rarefaction analyses showed that residues were more species dense than the logs, indicating that ordinary logging residues constitute important resources for many pioneer species.We conclude that controlled burning combined with DWC have strong effects on biodiversity; it modifies the composition of the pioneer wood-inhabiting fungal species found in managed forests and may thereby also influence the further succession and diversity of the secondary fungal flora.     

桦褐孔菌侵染的白桦腐朽木真菌分离及种类组成研究

对采自于黑龙江省大兴安岭塔河县和呼中自然保护区的桦褐孔菌子实体及其引起腐朽的木材标本经室内分离、纯化、鉴定,并与白桦健康木相应部位作对照,以揭示该腐朽木上的真菌种类组成。结果表明,从桦褐孔菌腐朽木上共分离出真菌32属,优势菌为青霉属、桦褐孔菌及散蠹菌属;相对于健康桦树木上真菌多13属,其中独有种类23属,两者共有真菌9属,健康桦树木上独有种类10属,说明木材腐朽菌桦褐孔菌可引起树干真菌群落结构显著变化。腐朽木树皮上的真菌种类最多,达到27属。在白桦腐朽木上各个区域内都分离到了桦褐孔菌,但在健康的白桦树各个部位都没有发现。     

Pathogenic wood‐decaying fungi in China

Wood‐decaying fungi on living trees in China were surveyed over the last 12 years. In all, 102 potentially pathogenic Basidiomycetes were found in natural forests, forest plantations, parks and gardens, and among them 20 species were recorded for the first time on living trees in China. The host(s), occurrence, type of damage, type of decay and distribution of each species in China are given. Most of these wood‐destroying fungi are polypores in the Aphyllophorales, and the majority were found in temperate and boreal forests. Of all the species detected, 88 species are known to cause white rot, and 14 cause brown rot; 25 species are considered as common, 44 occasional, and 33 rare.     

Temporal dynamics and spatial variations of forest vegetation carbon stock in Liaoning Province,China

There are many uncertainties in the estimation of forest car- bon sequestration in China, especially in Liaoning Province where vari- ous forest inventory data have not been fully utilized. By using forest inventory data, we estimated forest vegetation carbon stock of Liaoning Province between 1993 and 2005. Results showed that forest biomass carbon stock increased from 68.91 Tg C in 1993 to 97.51 Tg C in 2005, whereas mean carbon density increased from 18.48 Mg·ha -1 C to 22.33 Mg·ha -1 C. The carbon stora...     

中国纤孔菌属两新记录种

本文报道了中国纤孔菌属两个新记录种,分别为芮克纤孔菌Inonotus rickii(Pat.)D.A.Reid和杨生纤孔菌Inonotus plorans(Pat.)Bondartsev & Singer.芮克纤孔菌采于海南省保亭县热带植物园,生长在橡胶树上,杨生纤孔菌Inonotus plorans发现于中国西北地区的新疆,生长在杨树上,本文根据中国的材料对这两个种进行了详细描述和显微结构绘图.     

辽宁省阜新市林木种质资源普查试点及成果应用分析

2014年对辽宁省阜新市林木种质资源进行全面普查(试点),结果表明:阜新地区现有木本植物53科、106属、320种(含主要变种),其中:裸子植物5科、10属、27种,被子植物48科、96属、293种。对普查成果按不同类别进行应用分析,指出应加大推广林木良种资源、加速推进优良乡土树种资源良种化进程、做好保护珍贵树种资源工作、严格落实古树名木资源保护、合理配置园林绿化树种,为林业部门正确制定种质资源保护管理对策提供初步技术依据。     

青沟自然保护区科学考察报告

辽宁省青沟自然保护区位于辽宁省西北部彰武县境内,总面积２８９６ｈｍ＾２,其中人工林面积占林分总面积的９７％,主要树种是樟子松,油松,小青杨;天然林面积仅占林分总面积的３％,主要树种是榆树,植被区域属于欧亚草原区亚洲中部草原,植物区系属于华北植物区系和蒙古植物区系的交错地带。有省级重点保护的珍稀濒危野生动植物。区内植被分７个植被型,２８个群丛,植物种类５２８种;脊椎动物１１４种,其中省级重点保护动物