Bacterial communities associated with wood rot fungi that use distinct decomposition mechanisms

Abstract

Wood decomposer fungi are grouped by how they extract sugars from lignocellulose. Brown rot fungi selectively degrade cellulose and hemicellulose, leaving lignin intact, and white rot fungi degrade all components. Many trees are susceptible to both rot types, giving carbon in Earth’s woody biomass, specifically lignin, a flexible fate that is affected not only by the fungal decomposition mechanism but also the associated microbial community. However, little is understood about how rot type may influence the microbial community in decaying wood. In this study, we quantified bacterial communities associated with Fomes fomentarius (white rot) and Fomitopsis betulina (brown rot) found on a shared tree host species, birch (Betula papyrifera). We collected 25 wood samples beneath sporocarps of F. fomentarius (n = 13) and F. betulina (n = 12) on standing dead trees, and coupled microbial DNA sequencing with chemical signatures of rot type (pH and lignin removal). We found that bacterial communities for both fungi were dominated by Proteobacteria, a commonly reported association. However, rot type exerted significant influence on less abundant taxa in ways that align logically with fungal traits. Amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were enriched in Firmicutes in white-rotted wood, and were enriched in Alphaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Acidobacteria in lower pH brown rot. Our results suggest that wood decomposer strategies may exert significant selection effects on bacteria, or vice versa, among less-abundant taxa that have been overlooked when using abundance as the only measure of influence.

Identifying environmental factors affecting the microbial community composition on outdoor structural timber

“…was colonised by different bacterial communities as compared to wood with lower pH values like Pinus or Picea (Moll et al 2018 ). Furthermore, wood-decaying fungi decrease the wood pH significantly during the decomposition process, which than will affect the bacterial community composition by shifting it towards a more acido-tolerant community (Boer et al 2010 ; Haq et al 2022 ). This acidification process is generally more pronounced with brown rot than white rot, and this may explain the differences in bacterial community composition based on prevalent rot type in our data set (Supplemental Fig.…”

In-soil degradation of polymer materials waste – A survey of different approaches in relation with environmental impact

“…Their mode of deterioration wood in soil may have a real significance for better knowledge the ageing of wooden cultural heritage objects buried in soil and proper conservation approaches to be implemented. Different microorganisms communities present in soil, mainly fungi and bacteria, can promote degradation through interactions such as commensalism or mutualism, and even competitive or antagonistic (Haq et al 2014;Johnston et al 2016;Haq et al 2022), which influence to a large extent the deadwood environment (Tláskal et al 2017;Christofides et al 2019). In the soil of forest ecosystems, the proportion of brownrotted wood residues is very significant and has an important role in their optimal functioning through high microbial activity and consequently further optimal supplying nutrients and moisture.…”

Effect of stem rot on wood basic density, carbon, and nitrogen content of living deciduous trees in hemiboreal forests

“…lightning strike, fire, hail, or ice), biological agents (e.g. pests, animals), and then fungi decompose the wood with the help of bacteria (Haq et al 2022). Certain types of decay and discoloration seen in wood products can actually begin while the tree is still alive.…”