Fungal Population and Community Development in Cut Beech Logs

Abstract

SUMMARYPatterns of fungal colonization from the base of cut beech logs placed upright and partly buried in the ground at a mixed deciduous woodland site were fundamentally different from those from the aerial cut surface.Principal colonists resulting in decay, and mostly arriving within three months, were the ascomycete Xylaria hypoxylon (L. ex Hooker) Greville and various rhizomorph/mycelial cord-forming basidiomycetes, including Armillaria hulbosa (Barla) Kile & Watling, Phallus impudicus (L.) Pers., Phanerochaete velutina (DC ex Pers.) Parmasto and Tricholomopsis platyphyll^ (Pers. ex Fr.) Sing. Apart from A. bulbosa, these generally readily formed mycelial mats on the basal surface, between which somatic incompatibility reactions were often observed. Most frequent reactions occurred with X. hypoxylon which almost invariably produced numerous individuals in discrete decay columns. By contrast, lack of somatic incompatibility reactions between isolates of ^. bulbosa indicated that a single extensive mycelial type occurred throughout the site. The occurrence of somatic incompatibility between isolates of P. velutina from different logs indicated independent establishment, presumably via basidiospores, and this was consistent with the unusually late arrival of this species at the site. In no cases were numerous somatically incompatible individuals isolated from small volumes of wood lacking demarcation into discrete columns, as had been observed near the aerial cut surface.Vertical penetration from the base was more rapid than from the aerial cut surface, with X. hypoxylon a major pioneer species, and there was no pronounced lag phase.

Outcome of interspecific interactions among brown-rot and white-rot wood decay fungi

“…Our results show that a few brown-rot fungi such as G. trabeum, P. placenta, and (to a lesser extent) L. lepidius replace a number of the white-rot fungi studied, suggesting that some of the brown-rot fungi might be capable of invading zones occupied by white-rot fungi in decaying wood, unless substrate composition or abiotic factors (such as water potential and atmospheric composition) which are known to influence the outcome of interactions between white-rot fungi [19,20], also influence the outcome of interactions between white and brown-rot fungi. Phanerochaete velutina), is probably one of the later colonizers of decomposing wood, invading regions occupied by less combative fungal species [6,9,[11][12][13]. It should be added, however, that the results of Holmer and Stenlid are at variance with earlier reports [12][13][14][15][16][17] which indicated a good correlation between the results of outcomes of mycelial interactions studied on agar plates versus wood.…”

Saprotrophic cord systems: dispersal mechanisms in space and time

“…Nonetheless, cord-forming fungi do sometimes colonise via basidiospores. For example, freshly felled beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) logs contained many small decay columns of P. velutina extending from the buried cut surface in woodland where extensive systems were already established, indicative of arrival as spores (Coates and Rayner 1985).…”

Community structure and dynamics of wood-rotting Basidiomycetes on decomposing conifer trunks in northern Finland

“…During that time it may undergo periods of harsh drought. However, after it has completely fallen its moisture content increases and the whole trunk is rapidly invaded by decayers, many of them evidently via mycelial cords (or rhizomorphs) from the soil (Thompson & Boddy 1983, Coates & Rayner 1985b, Dawson et al 1986, 1988, Chapela et al 1988, Boddy 1993. Eventually the trunk will be overgrown by bryophytes and lichens (ground floor species).…”