A field experiment was set up in five mature Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) stands in the Netherlands in order to study the effects of removal of litter and humus on ectomycorrhizal fungi and vegetation of higher plants, bryophytes, and lichens. Lime was also applied as a countermeasure to the removal of surplus cations. Application of lime did not have significant effects on mycorrhizal fungi. Removal of ectorganic material increased species richness of ectomyeorrhizal fungi. The number of fruit bodies was also higher in the sod-cut plots, but the difference compared with the controls was not significant in all years. A major effect of removal of the ectorganic layer was a reversion of ectomycorrhizal succession to earlier stages. Liming increased the number and cover of ruderal, nitrophilous plant species. Sod-cutting caused a reversion of the green vegetation to earlier successional stages.

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The effect of vegetation type on decomposition ra tes of wood was studied . Wood of Juniperus communis was la id down in II different habitats, a nd wood of Quercus robur, Pinus sylvestris. and Juniperus communis was la id down together in six different ha bitats. There were la rge differences in th e decomposition constant a nd mycoflori stic composition between different vegetation types. Species diversity of seco ndary opportunistic fungal species is positively co rrel a ted with decomposition of juniper-wood , whereas no significa nt correlation was found between di versity of basidiomycetes a nd decomposition of juniper-wood. All vegeta tion types possessed two or more characteristic species. Onl y very few species showed substra te specificity.