The site specific variables that correlate with the distribution of the Pacific Golden Chanterelle, Cantharellus formosus

Cantharellus formosus is one of the most abundantly collected commercial mushrooms in western North America. Despite its importance to commercial harvesting, little information is known about the habitat requirements of C. formosus. The purpose of this study was to identify the environmental factors that correlate with the distribution of the basidiomata of C. formosus. Fifty-five plots (5 m × 5 m) with basidiomata and 60 comparison plots without basidiomata (5 m × 5 m) were established in Sitka spruce stands in Patrick’s Point State Park. Thirty plots with basidiomata and 30 without basidiomata were randomly selected for measurement of all variables. The latter included total percent cover of the following categories: shrubs, forbs, bryophytes and canopy cover. Diameter at breast height (DBH), height of trees, and other factors were also measured including duff depth, exchangeable cations, exchangeable acidity and aluminum, pH, and organic matter. Data were analyzed using logistic regression analysis to determine which environmental variables significantly correlated to the distribution of basidiomata. The Chi-squared test of homogeneity was used to determine if presence of chanterelle basidiomata was related to soil classification characterisitcs. The results indicate that chanterelles are associated with areas with low exchangeable acidity (2.09 ± 0.30 cmol+/kg soil), moderate duff depth (11.01 ± 0.45 cm), and areas with bare humus and needle cover less than 30% (29.05 ± 3.04%). Identification of these variables is important to assist land managers in identifying habitats where C. formosus basidiomata are likely to occur.