Cryptostroma corticale in the northern Apennines (Italy)

Cryptostroma corticale was observed on declining trees of Acer pseudoplatanus L. at Montovolo, a mountain site located in the northern Apennines, Italy. Morphological and biomolecular analyses confirmed the presence of the fungus in affected trees, which has not yet been officially described as occurring in Italy. No damage by the pathogen was observed on other species of Acer in the affected area, while drought–related decline symptoms were present on Quercus pubescens and Ostrya carpinifolia near the affected site, confirming the possible role of climate and especially repeated drought periods in the appearance of the problem

conidial fungi from salix herbacea leaf litter and their growth temperature preferences

A preliminary qualitative analysis was carried out on fungal composition of leaf litter of Salix herbacea growing on Gran Sasso, Monti della Laga (TE), the highest mountain of the Apennines. Direct isolation in humid chamber and culture of soil on plates were used as methods. The most isolated genera were Acremonium, Cladosporium, Lecanicillium, Mucor, Penicillium and Pestalotia. Lag period and radial growth of the colonies were recorded at different temperatures from -1 to 45oC. and the optimal temperature for growth and sporulation was detected for each isolate. Most of the isolated strains were psychrotolerant mesophyle and capable to grow within a 1oC to +30oC range, except for a thermotolerant strain of Penicillium that could grow at 45oC .They exhibited a wide range of thermal tolerance together with their ability to grow in habitats which are commonly submitted to great changes in temperature similar to those occurring in alpine climate. Data presented in this paper can be useful to understand the ecological requirements of the fungal components of high mountain ecosystems that are often subject to monitoring in the investigation of the effects of global climatic changes

First Documentation of Life Cycle Completion of the Alien Rust Pathogen Melampsoridium hiratsukanum in the Eastern Alps Proves Its Successful Establishment in This Mountain Range

Melampsoridium hiratsukanum is an alien rust fungus which has spread pervasively throughout several European countries following introduction into North Europe at the end of the 20th century. The authenticity of several records of the Melampsoridium species infecting alder (Alnus spp.) in the northern hemisphere is questionable, due to the misidentification and confusion that surround many of the older reports. Given this complicated taxonomic history, and since a M. hiratsukanum-like rust is strongly impacting Alnus incana stands in the Alps, probably affecting the bank protection role of this species along rivers, the unambiguous identification of this pathogen was a pressing epidemiological and ecological issue. In this study, field surveys, light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and molecular characterization were put together in an attempt to solve the conundrum. Field monitoring data, LM and SEM analyses of key taxonomic traits (length of ostiolar cells of uredinium, uredinio-spore shape and size, spore echinulation, number and position of germ pores) and ITS-rDNA sequence-based identification, convergently and unambiguously connected the rust that is causing the current epidemic to the non-native M. hiratsukanum. We documented the completion of the M. hiratsukanum life cycle on its two taxonomically unrelated broadleaf/conifer hosts. This is the first report of M. hiratsukanum from naturally infected Larix decidua in Europe

The Seventeenth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys: Complete Release of MaNGA, MaStar and APOGEE-2 Data

This paper documents the seventeenth data release (DR17) from the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys; the fifth and final release from the fourth phase (SDSS-IV). DR17 contains the complete release of the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) survey, which reached its goal of surveying over 10,000 nearby galaxies. The complete release of the MaNGA Stellar Library (MaStar) accompanies this data, providing observations of almost 30,000 stars through the MaNGA instrument during bright time. DR17 also contains the complete release of the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment 2 (APOGEE-2) survey which publicly releases infra-red spectra of over 650,000 stars. The main sample from the Extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS), as well as the sub-survey Time Domain Spectroscopic Survey (TDSS) data were fully released in DR16. New single-fiber optical spectroscopy released in DR17 is from the SPectroscipic IDentification of ERosita Survey (SPIDERS) sub-survey and the eBOSS-RM program. Along with the primary data sets, DR17 includes 25 new or updated Value Added Catalogs (VACs). This paper concludes the release of SDSS-IV survey data. SDSS continues into its fifth phase with observations already underway for the Milky Way Mapper (MWM), Local Volume Mapper (LVM) and Black Hole Mapper (BHM) surveys

CONIDIAL FUNGI FROM Salix herbacea LEAF LITTER AND THEIR GROWTH TEMPERATURE PREFERENCES

A preliminary qualitative analysis was carried out on fungal composition of leaf litter of Salix herbacea growing on Gran Sasso, Monti della Laga (TE), the highest mountain of the Apennines. Direct isolation in humid chamber and culture of soil on plates were used as methods. The most isolated genera were Acremonium, Cladosporium, Lecanicillium, Mucor, Penicillium and Pestalotia. Lag period and radial growth of the colonies were recorded at different temperatures from -1 to 45ºC. and the optimal temperature for growth and sporulation was detected for each isolate. Most of the isolated strains were psychrotolerant mesophyle and capable to grow within a 1ºC to +30ºC range, except for a thermotolerant strain of Penicillium that could grow at 45ºC .They exhibited a wide range of thermal tolerance together with their ability to grow in habitats which are commonly submitted to great changes in temperature similar to those occurring in alpine climate. Data presented in this paper can be useful to understand the ecological requirements of the fungal components of high mountain ecosystems that are often subject to monitoring in the investigation of the effects of global climatic changes

Cryptostroma corticale su acero: un potenziale pericolo per piante ed operatori

Il ritrovamento di questo fungo anche in Appennino viene segnalato sia per il suo ruolo ecologico in un contesto di cambiamento climatico, sia per gli aspetti legati ad un potenziale rischio sanitario per gli operatori. Vengono forniti gli elementi di base per il riconoscimento dei sintomi in camp

Culturable fungi associated with wood decay of picea abies in subalpine forest soils: A field-mesocosm case study

Fungi are the principal wood decomposers in forest ecosystems and their activity provides wood necromass to other living organisms. However, the wood decay mechanisms and the associated microbial community are largely unknown, especially in Alpine areas. In this study, the culturable fraction of fungal communities associated with the decomposition of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst) deadwood in subalpine forest soils were determined using microbiological methods coupled with molecular identification. Fungal communities were evaluated using in-field mesocosms after one year of exposition of P. abies wood blocks along an altitudinal gradient ranging from 1200 up to 2000 m a.s.l. comprising eight subalpine sites, four of them located at north-and other four at south-facing slopes. Although many saprotrophic species were isolated from the wood blocks, several white-rot species as the pathogenic fungi Armillaria cepistipes and Heterobasidion annosum, along with soft-rot fungi such as Lecytophora sp. were identified. Our results further indicated that the wood-inhabiting fungal community was mainly influenced by topographic features and by the chemical properties of the wood blocks, providing first insights into the effect of different slope exposure on the deadwood mycobiome in the subalpine forest ecosystem.</p

Culturable fungi associated with wood decay of picea abies in subalpine forest soils: A field-mesocosm case study

<p>Fungi are the principal wood decomposers in forest ecosystems and their activity provides wood necromass to other living organisms. However, the wood decay mechanisms and the associated microbial community are largely unknown, especially in Alpine areas. In this study, the culturable fraction of fungal communities associated with the decomposition of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst) deadwood in subalpine forest soils were determined using microbiological methods coupled with molecular identification. Fungal communities were evaluated using in-field mesocosms after one year of exposition of P. abies wood blocks along an altitudinal gradient ranging from 1200 up to 2000 m a.s.l. comprising eight subalpine sites, four of them located at north-and other four at south-facing slopes. Although many saprotrophic species were isolated from the wood blocks, several white-rot species as the pathogenic fungi Armillaria cepistipes and Heterobasidion annosum, along with soft-rot fungi such as Lecytophora sp. were identified. Our results further indicated that the wood-inhabiting fungal community was mainly influenced by topographic features and by the chemical properties of the wood blocks, providing first insights into the effect of different slope exposure on the deadwood mycobiome in the subalpine forest ecosystem.</p

Soil Communities: Who Responds and How Quickly to a Change in Agricultural System?

The use of conservation and sustainable practices could restore the abundance and richness of soil organisms in agroecosystems. Fitting in this context, this study aimed to highlight whether and how different soil living communities reacted to the conversion from an integrated to an organic orchard. The metataxonomic approach for fungi and bacteria and the determination of biological forms of diatoms and microarthropods were applied. Soil analyses were carried out in order to evaluate the effect of soil chemical features on four major soil living communities. Our results showed that the different taxa reacted with different speeds to the management changes. Fungi responded quickly to the changes, suggesting that modification in agricultural practices had a greater impact on fungal communities. Bacteria and microarthropods were more affected by abiotic parameters and less by the management. The diatom composition seemed to be affected by seasonality but the highest H’ (Shannon index) value was measured in the organic system. Fungi, but also diatoms, seemed to be promising for monitoring changes in the soil since they were sensitive to both the soil features and the anthropic impact. Our study showed that soil biodiversity could be affected by the conversion to sustainable management practices from the early years of an orchard onwards. Therefore, better ecological orchard management may strengthen soil sustainability and resilience in historically agricultural regions