Species diversity and composition of fungal communities in a Scots pine forest affected by the great cormorant colony

A Scots pine forest, affected by the great cormorant colony, was studied by plot-based fungal survey method during the years 2010-2012 in Lithuania. Diversity and composition of fungal communities were investigated at five zones that had been influenced by different stages of breeding colony establishment: starting-point and almost abandoned cormorant colony part (zones A and B), active part (zones C and D), and the edge of the colony (zone E). The control zone G in undamaged by cormorants pine stand was assessed too. A total of 257 fungal species of ascomycetes including anamorphic fungi, basidiomycetes and zygomycetes were recorded. Seven species were registered for the first time in Lithuania. Species richness in the examined zones varied, lowest being in zones B (51 species), C (46) and D (73) and almost twice as high in the zones A and E (129 and 120, respectively). The comparison of fungal species compositions of different zones showed that their similarity was rather low (SS: 0.22–0.59). The most obvious changes in the trophic structure of fungal communities in the territory occupied by the bird colony were a strong decrease of mycorrhizal species, the presence of coprophilous fungi on forest litter, and the appearance of host-specialized fungi on alien and non-forest plants that have established in the disturbed forest

What Do the First 597 Global Fungal Red List Assessments Tell Us about the Threat Status of Fungi?

Fungal species are not immune to the threats facing animals and plants and are thus also prone to extinction. Yet, until 2015, fungi were nearly absent on the IUCN Red List. Recent efforts to identify fungal species under threat have significantly increased the number of published fungal assessments. The 597 species of fungi published in the 2022-1 IUCN Red List update (21 July 2022) are the basis for the first global review of the extinction risk of fungi and the threats they face. Nearly 50% of the assessed species are threatened, with 10% NT and 9% DD. For regions with a larger number of assessments (i.e., Europe, North America, and South America), subanalyses are provided. Data for lichenized and nonlichenized fungi are also summarized separately. Habitat loss/degradation followed by climate change, invasive species, and pollution are the primary identified threats. Bias in the data is discussed along with knowledge gaps. Suggested actions to address these gaps are provided along with a discussion of the use of assessments to facilitate on-the-ground conservation efforts. A research agenda for conservation mycology to assist in the assessment process and implementation of effective species/habitat management is presented

What Do the First 597 Global Fungal Red List Assessments Tell Us about the Threat Status of Fungi?

Fungal species are not immune to the threats facing animals and plants and are thus also prone to extinction. Yet, until 2015, fungi were nearly absent on the IUCN Red List. Recent efforts to identify fungal species under threat have significantly increased the number of published fungal assessments. The 597 species of fungi published in the 2022-1 IUCN Red List update (21 July 2022) are the basis for the first global review of the extinction risk of fungi and the threats they face. Nearly 50% of the assessed species are threatened, with 10% NT and 9% DD. For regions with a larger number of assessments (i.e., Europe, North America, and South America), subanalyses are provided. Data for lichenized and nonlichenized fungi are also summarized separately. Habitat loss/degradation followed by climate change, invasive species, and pollution are the primary identified threats. Bias in the data is discussed along with knowledge gaps. Suggested actions to address these gaps are provided along with a discussion of the use of assessments to facilitate on-the-ground conservation efforts. A research agenda for conservation mycology to assist in the assessment process and implementation of effective species/habitat management is presented

Grybų ant irstančių stambių paprastojo ąžuolo medienos nuokritų įvairovė

The species diversity and distribution of fungi on decaying common oak (Quercus robur) coarse woody debris (CWD) was investigated in 50 circular study plots (each 0.1 ha in size) within oak stands of different age. A total of 203 fungal species was recorded on oak CWD. Among the 49 recorded ascomycetes, the most frequent were Eriopezia caesia, Humaria hemisphaerica, Mollisia cinerea and Nemania serpens. The largest part of fungi comprised basidiomycetes (154 species) among which Hymenochaete rubiginosa, Hyphodontia quercina, Phanerochaete velutina and Schizopora paradoxa were most common. Analysis of species composition based on the presence of fruit bodies on wood of different decay stages (DS) has shown a change of fungal community structure among slightly (DS I–II) and strongly (DS IV–V) decayed wood, though no strong preference of most fungi for wood of particular decay stage was observed

Forest fungi and human culture in Europe

International audienc

Significant impact of allochthonous nutrient loads on microarthropods in forest soils

Aim of study: To investigate the impact of allochthonous material from piscivorous birds on forest soil microarthropod communities. Area of study: Six study zones in the Curonian Spit peninsula (western Lithuania) were designated in Pinus sylvestris stands with nesting sites of the great cormorants, taking into account the relief and the duration of the ornithogenic impact. Materials and methods: The total abundance of mites and Collembola and the species richness and diversity of Oribatida and Gamasina mites were assessed and compared. Main results: The abundance of Collembola, Tarsonemidae and Acaridae mites positively correlated with ornithogenic activity, while Oribatida and Gamasina mites decreased significantly. The structure of microarthropod communities was similar in most of the studied zones, except for the active nesting zone and the abandoned part of the colony on the dune slope. The greatest species richness of Oribatida and Gamasina was found in the unaffected forest in the dune hollow, whereas the lowest value was found in the active nesting area and in the abandoned part of the colony on the dune slope. Of the environmental parameters studied, soil pH (r = -0.725) and tree layer (r = 0.827) were those most significantly related to the changes of microarthropod communities. Research highlights: We found that cormorant colonies have a strong impact on forest ecosystems and soil properties, leading to signi-ficant changes in soil microarthropod communities. Birds thus create a natural disturbance experiment that can help reveal the factors that determine the diversity and composition of natural microarthropod communities

Response of ectomycorrhizal and other Pinus sylvestris root-associated fungi to the load of allochthonous material from a great cormorant colony

Colonies of piscivorous birds nesting in forests bring in loads of allochthonous material in amounts significantly exceeding atmospheric depositions, eventually causing major ecosystem changes. We studied the effect of increasing ornithogenic impact on ectomycorrhizal (EMF) and other root-associated fungi in a Scots pine forest affected by a colony of great cormorants. We evaluated quantitative data of ectomycorrhiza (numbers of root tips and morphotypes) and identified fungal species from pine root tips and from sporocarps collected in three designated study zones: D (zone of active nesting), E (colony margin), and G (pristine forest). Species-bearing sporocarps were absent in zone D, and their number steadily decreased in zone E and was significantly lower than in zone G. Species communities and occurrence frequencies of individual species differed significantly between the zones. Environmental factors, both directly (nutrient addition) and indirectly (changes in vegetation cover), associated with bird activity have significantly influenced fungal communities. We hypothesize that the first signs of increased avian impact on root-associated fungi are the reduced diversity of sporocarps and the low presence and diversity of boletoid fungi in root tips

Lietuvos svetimžemiai grybai: rūšių sąrašas, jų dabartinis statusas ir trofinė struktūra

A comprehensive inventory of alien fungi (excluding fungi-like oomycetes) recorded in Lithuania since the 19th century was performed. The compiled list includes 142 fungal species, the major part of which are plant pathogens (125 species), while mycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi (eight and nine species, respectively) are much less represented. The distribution within country and current status of non-native fungi were assessed. Large part of alien fungus species (58) are considered as established, three species (Auricularia auricula-judae, Aureoboletus projectellus, Lecanosticta acicola) are currently spreading, three species (Serpula lacrymans, Synchytrium endobioticum, Tilletia caries) are decreasing, one (Laricifomes officinalis) is considered to be extinct, five saprotrophic species are ephemeromycetes with few records almost exceptionally indoors and not surviving in outside conditions. Status of more than half of the listed species (73) is categorized as unknown as their records are few, suitable habitats and/ or hosts are uncommon

Cultural ecosystem services provided by the biodiversity of forest soils: A European review

International audienceSoil is one of the most species-rich habitats and plays a crucial role in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. It is acknowledged that soils and their biota deliver many ecosystem services. However, up to now, cultural ecosystem services (CES) provided by soil biodiversity remained virtually unknown. Here we present a multilingual and multisubject literature review on cultural benefits provided by belowground biota in European forests. We found 226 papers mentioning impact of soil biota on the cultural aspects of human life. According to the reviewed literature, soil organisms contribute to all CES. Impact on CES, as reflected in literature, was highest for fungi and lowest for microorganisms and mesofauna. Cultural benefits provided by soil biota clearly prevailed in the total of the reviewed references, but there were also negative effects mentioned in six CES. The same organism groups or even individual species may have negative impacts within one CES and at the same time act as an ecosystem service provider for another CES. The CES were found to be supported at several levels of ecosystem service provision: from single species to two or more functional/taxonomical groups and in some cases morphological diversity acted as a surrogate for species diversity. Impact of soil biota on CES may be both direct by providing the benefits (or dis-benefits) and indirect through the use of the products or services obtained from these benefits. The CES from soil biota interacted among themselves and with other ES, but more than often, they did not create bundles, because there exist temporal fluctuations in value of CES and a time lag between direct and indirect benefits. Strong regionality was noted for most of CES underpinned by soil biota: the same organism group or species may have strong impact on CES (positive, negative or both) in some regions while no, minor or opposite effects in others. Contrarily to the CES based on landscapes, in the CES provided by soil biota distance between the ecosystem and its CES benefiting area is shorter (CES based on landscapes are used less by local people and more by visitors, meanwhile CES based on species or organism groups are used mainly by local people). Our review revealed the existence of a considerable amount of spatially fragmented and semantically rich information highlighting cultural values provided by forest soil biota in Europe