Are there edge effects on forest fungi and if so do they matter?

Crockatt, Martha E.

doi:10.1016/j.fbr.2012.08.002

Cited by 38 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…In addition, habitat conditions may be affected by fragmentation through changes in abiotic factors, e.g., soil nutrient availability and climate variability in forest fragments. These effects may be particularly pronounced at fragment edges owing to exposure to the matrix habitat, the phenomenon termed edge effects, which can also result in reduced diversity (Kapos 1989, Crockatt 2012. Although many studies have examined predictions of island biogeography theory and edge effects in the context of fragmented landscapes with plants and animals, fragmentation effects on microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi remain poorly understood (Penttilä et al 2006, Rantalainen et al 2008.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forest area and connectivity influence root‐associated fungal communities in a fragmented landscape

Vannette

Leopold

Fukami

2016

Ecology

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Abstract. Habitat fragmentation is well known to affect plant and animal diversity as a result of reduced habitat area and connectivity, but its effects on microorganisms are poorly understood. Using high-throughput sequencing of two regions of the rRNA gene, we studied the effects of forest area and connectivity on the diversity and composition of fungi associated with the roots of the dominant tree, Metrosideros polymorpha, in a lava-fragmented landscape on the Island of Hawaii. We found that local fungal diversity increased with forest area, whereas fungal species composition was correlated with fragment connectivity. Fragment size and connectivity were significant predictors even when we included environmental covariates, which were also associated with fungal diversity and composition. Fungal species composition was more similar among highly connected fragments than among poorly connected ones. We also identified individual taxa that varied in abundance with connectivity. Taken together, our results show that habitat fragmentation can alter microbial diversity and composition via differential response among fungal phyla and individual taxa to habitat connectivity.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forest area and connectivity influence root‐associated fungal communities in a fragmented landscape

Vannette

Leopold

Fukami

2016

Ecology

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“…The taxonomic coverage in edge‐effect studies has been uneven. Deadwood‐dwelling fungi have been almost entirely overlooked (Junninen and Komonen , Crockatt ) despite their great diversity, large numbers of threatened species (e.g., Gärdenfors , Kotiranta et al. ), and role as indicator species for old‐growth forests (Nitare ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamic anthropogenic edge effects on the distribution and diversity of fungi in fragmented old‐growth forests

Ruete

Snäll

Jönsson

2016

Ecological Applications

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Diversity patterns and dynamics at forest edges are not well understood. We disentangle the relative importance of edge-effect variables on spatio-temporal patterns in species richness and occupancy of deadwood-dwelling fungi in fragmented old-growth forests. We related richness and log occupancy by 10 old-growth forest indicator fungi and by two common fungi to log conditions in natural and anthropogenic edge habitats of 31 old-growth Picea abies forest stands in central Sweden. We compared edge-to-interior gradients (100 m) to the forest interior (beyond 100 m), and we analyzed stand-level changes after 10 yr. Both richness and occupancy of logs by indicator species was negatively related to adjacent young clear-cut edges, but this effect decreased with increasing clear-cut age. The occupancy of logs by indicator species also increased with increasing distance to the natural edges. In contrast, the occupancy of logs by common species was positively related or unrelated to distance to clear-cut edges regardless of the edge age, and this was partly explained by fungal specificity to substrate quality. Stand-level mean richness and mean occupancy of logs did not change for indicator or common species over a decade. By illustrating the importance of spatial and temporal dimensions of edge effects, we extend the general understanding of the distribution and diversity of substrate-confined fungi in fragmented old-growth forests. Our results highlight the importance of longer forest rotation times adjacent to small protected areas and forest set-asides, where it may take more than 50 yr for indicator species richness levels to recover to occupancy levels observed in the forest interior. Also, non-simultaneous clear-cutting of surrounding productive forests in a way that reduces the edge effect over time (i.e., dynamic buffers) may increase the effective core area of small forest set-asides and improve their performance on protecting species of special concern for conservation.

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“…Generalist and specialist wood fungi are known to respond differently to old‐growth forest amount and isolation (Nordén et al . ), but little is known about their response to edge effects (Snäll & Jonsson ; Junninen & Komonen ; Crockatt ; Abrego & Salcedo ; Ruete, Snäll & Jönsson ). However, through a recent study we do know that anthropogenic edges create transient edge‐to‐interior gradients that at least temporally (within a time window of 40 years) reduces the occupancy of indicator fungi while increasing the occupancy of common fungi (Ruete, Snäll & Jönsson ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contrasting long‐term effects of transient anthropogenic edges and forest fragment size on generalist and specialist deadwood‐dwelling fungi

Ruete

Snäll

Jonsson

et al. 2016

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Summary Forests are becoming increasingly fragmented world‐wide, creating forest patches with reduced area and greater exposure to human land uses along fragment edges. In this study, we predict the future impacts of anthropogenic edges and fragment size on the future occupancy of deadwood‐dwelling fungi in boreal old‐growth forest fragments. We used Bayesian models fitted to empirical data to predict 40 years of occupancy dynamics of logs by a group of old‐growth forest indicator fungi and two common fungi under different scenarios of clear‐cutting in adjacent forest (0%, 25%, 50% and 100%) and fragment sizes (1–20 ha). Small fragment size (1–3·14 ha) and intensified forestry with 50–100% clear‐cutting of forest around old‐growth forest fragments lead to lower predicted occupancy of old‐growth indicator fungi while common generalist species like Fomitopsis pinicola increased. There was a trade‐off between fragment size and management, where increasing fragment size buffered the negative long‐term effects from increased adjacent clear‐cutting. These changes in fungal occupancy at the edge should be accounted for when working towards conservation targets for protected areas, such as the Aichi target 11. Synthesis and applications. Preserve what is left – but buffer for change. Small forest fragments often represent the last vestiges of high habitat quality (i.e. species, structures) in managed forest landscapes. As effective area‐based conservation measures for the long‐term occupancy of old‐growth fungi, small fragments need to be managed to protect species from degrading transient edge effects. Management should focus on increasing the size of conservation areas with permanent buffer zones. Alternatively, non‐simultaneous adjacent clear‐cutting in a way that reduces the edge effect over time (i.e. dynamic buffers) may increase the effective area and improve performance of set‐asides in protecting species of special concern for conservation.

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Are there edge effects on forest fungi and if so do they matter?

Cited by 38 publications

References 74 publications

Forest area and connectivity influence root‐associated fungal communities in a fragmented landscape

Forest area and connectivity influence root‐associated fungal communities in a fragmented landscape

Dynamic anthropogenic edge effects on the distribution and diversity of fungi in fragmented old‐growth forests

Contrasting long‐term effects of transient anthropogenic edges and forest fragment size on generalist and specialist deadwood‐dwelling fungi

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