Forest Type and Site Conditions Influence the Diversity and Biomass of Edible Macrofungal Species in Ethiopia

Abstract

Ethiopian forests are rich in valuable types of non-wood forest products, including mushrooms. However, despite their nutritional, economic, and ecological importance, wild edible mushrooms have been given little attention and are rarely documented in Ethiopia. In this study, we assessed mushroom production levels in natural and plantation forests and the influence of climate and environmental variables on mushroom production. Sporocarps were sampled weekly from July to August 2019 at a set of permanent plots (100 m2) in both forest systems. We analyzed 63 plots to quantify sporocarp species’ richness and fresh weight as well as to elucidate the degree of influence of forest types and site conditions, including soil and climate. Morphological analyses were used to identify fungi. In total, we recorded 64 wild edible fungal species belonging to 31 genera and 21 families from the plots established in the natural and plantation forests. A significantly greater total number of edible fungi were collected from natural forests (n = 40 species) than from plantations. Saprotrophs (92.19%) were the dominant guild whereas ectomycorrhizal fungi represented only 6.25% of species. Ecologically and economically important fungal species such as Agaricus campestroides, Tylopilus niger, Suillus luteus, Tricholoma portentosum, and Morchella americana were collected. The sporocarp yield obtained from plantation forests (2097.57 kg ha−1 yr–1) was significantly greater than that obtained from natural forests (731.18 kg ha−1 yr–1). The fungal community composition based on sporocarp production was mainly correlated with the organic matter, available phosphorus, and total nitrogen content of the soil, and with the daily minimum temperature during collection. Accordingly, improving edible species’ richness and sporocarp production by maintaining ecosystem integrity represents a way of adding economic value to forests and maintaining biological diversity, while providing wood and non-wood forest products; we propose that this approach is imperative for managing Ethiopian forests.

Green trees preservation: A sustainable source of valuable mushrooms for Ethiopian local communities

“…luteus ) stands. This supports previous findings by [ 2 ] that some valuable fungal species are found exclusively in a particular forest system, indicating that different fungal species have unique ecological requirements for fructification or sporocarp production [ 75 ]. Thus, understanding the ecological preferences of various fungal species is essential for designing effective management strategies to promote their growth and conservation in different plantation systems.…”

“…For instance, certain fungal species may thrive in acidic soils while others may prefer more alkaline conditions [ 115 , 116 ]. In our study, the heterogeneous soil environment, coupled with high levels of rainfall, could create microhabitats in which specific fungal species would be able to grow and survive in a particular plantation type [ 2 ]. For instance, we found that T .…”

“…Forest fungal communities contain a wide range of species that contribute significantly to the development, functioning, and stability of ecosystems [ 1 , 2 ]. In addition, fungi are part of the livelihood of people living in different parts of the world [ 3 – 5 ].…”

“…These exotic plantations have the potential to produce high-value timber and NTFPs [ 16 , 17 ], including wild edible fungi [ 18 , 19 ]. Although studies have been conducted to assess the overall fungal diversity and sporocarp production in Ethiopian forest systems, there is still a lack of specific knowledge about the diversity, sporocarp production, and factors influencing the variety of valuable fungal species in short-rotation plantations [ 2 , 19 ].…”

Forest Type and Climate Outweigh Soil Bank in Shaping Dynamic Changes in Macrofungal Diversity in the Ancient Tree Park of Northeast China

“…Our study focused on the Ancient Tree Park in Jilin Province, China, to explore the relationship between macrofungi and climatic conditions [ 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 ]. By collecting data on macrofungi species and their abundance on a monthly basis, we conducted a correlation analysis with average rainfall and temperature ( Figure 5 ).…”