<I>Ophiostoma</I> spp. associated with pine- and spruce-infesting bark beetles in Finland and Russia

Abstract

The timber and pulp industries of Finland rely heavily on importations from Russia as source of raw timber. These imports raise the risk of accidentally importing forest pests and pathogens, especially bark beetles and their associated fungi, into Finland. Although ophiostomatoid fungi have previously been reported from Finland and Russia, the risks of accidentally moving these fungi has prompted a first survey to compare the diversity of conifer-infesting bark beetles and associated fungi from boreal forests on both sides of the Finnish-Russian border. The aim of the present study was to identify and characterise Ophiostoma species isolated in association with 11 bark beetle species infesting Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies during this survey in the eastern parts of Finland and neighbouring Russia. Fungal isolates were grouped based on morphology and representatives of each morphological group were subjected to DNA sequence comparisons of the internal transcribed spaced region (ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2) and β-tubulin gene region. A total of 15 species of Ophiostoma were identified, including seven known species, five new species, and three species for which the identity remains uncertain. In the O. piceae-complex we identified O. canum, O. floccosum, O. karelicum and O. rachisporum sp. nov., and related to these, some isolates belonging to the European clade of O. minus in the O. minus-complex. Ophiostoma bicolor and O. fuscum sp. nov. were identified in the O. ips-complex, while O. ainoae, O. brunneo-ciliatum, O. tapionis sp. nov. and O. pallidulum sp. nov. were shown to group close to, but not in a strict monophyletic lineage with species of the O. ips-complex. Together with a single O. abietinum-like isolate, the only species that grouped close to the Sporothrix schenckii- O. stenoceras complex, was O. saponiodorum sp. nov.

Wounds on Rapanea melanophloeos provide habitat for a large diversity of Ophiostomatales including four new species

“…Based on CAL data, O. noisomeae formed a distinct clade, but its affinities are unclear as CAL data of S. lignivora and Graphilbum species are still lacking. Our analyses support results of De Beer et al (2013b) and Linnakoski et al (2010) that the S. lignivora complex and O. noisomeae form distinct lineages with significant distance from other genera and complexes in the Ophiostomatales. De Beer et al (2013b) suggested that, due to the distance at which the S. lignivora complex groups from other complexes and genera in the Ophiostomatales, the group may represent a separate genus.…”

The Ophiostoma clavatum species complex: a newly defined group in the Ophiostomatales including three novel taxa

“…It appears that the fungus has a relatively specific association with this bark beetle species and its host tree. This apparently strict association has also been reported in several previous studies (Mathiesen 1950(Mathiesen , 1951Rennerfelt 1950;Mathiesen-Käärik 1953;Francke-Grosmann 1952, 1963aKäärik 1975aKäärik , 1980Villari 2012;Villari et al 2013 1989, 1991Kirisits et al 2000;Kirisits 2001Kirisits , 2004Bueno et al 2010;Stauffer et al 2001;Jankowiak et al 2007Jankowiak et al , 2009Linnakoski et al 2010;Linnakoski 2011;Jankowiak 2012;Repe et al 2013). For this reason, we re-examined some isolates from our previous studies identified as O. brunneo-ciliatum (Linnakoski et al 2010;Linnakoski 2011;Villari et al 2013 clavatum complex.…”

“…Descriptions: Solheim (1986, p. 201 Original reports in literature: Solheim (1986Solheim ( , 1992Solheim ( , 1993; Harding (1989); Pashenova et al (1995); Yamaoka et al (1997); Grubelnik (1998);Viiri (1997); Kirschner (1998Kirschner ( , 2001 (Linnakoski et al 2010;Repe et al 2013). Reports of this species from larch-and pine-infesting bark beetles will, therefore, require confirmation, as they may refer to other members in the O. clavatum species complex.…”

“…(Mathiesen 1951, Mathiesen-Käärik 1953, Linnakoski et al 2010 Typification of both these species is resolved below by designating lectotypes and epitypes for them. The remaining three lineages represent novel taxa that are, herewith, formally described.…”

Multigene phylogenies of Ophiostomataceae associated with Monterey pine bark beetles in Spain reveal three new fungal species

“…Bark beetles that infest conifers carry many different ophiostomatoid fungi including those related to Ophiostoma (Jacobs and Kirisits 2003;Kim et al 2003;Zhou et al 2004Zhou et al , 2006Kirisits 2007;Romon et al 2007;Linnakoski et al 2008Linnakoski et al , 2009Masuya et al 2009;Jankowiak and Kolarik 2010;Linnakoski et al 2010;Paciura et al 2010) and Ceratocystis (Harrington and Wingfield 1998, Harrington et al 2002, van Wyk et al 2004, Viiri and Lieutier 2004, Reid et al 2010. Although many of these fungi have the ability to cause lesions when inoculated into conifers (e.g.…”