Fibroporia gossypium in northeastern Poland – a preliminary study

A Fibroporia gossypium (Speg.) Parmasto fruit-body was found on a Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] stump in the northeast of Poland (Waliły forest district). The mycelium from wood samples was sequenced (KF725876), identified and used to examine: (i) linear growth of the mycelium on malt-extract medium and (ii) the decay of spruce wood samples. We observed slow mycelium growth (84 mm colony diameter after 28 days). After the first 3 months of wood decay, the average loss of dry mass was 6.7%. After next 3 months, a further loss of 15.4% (the average loss) was recorded until finally 35.98% loss (the maximum loss of wood for a single sample) occurred. Fibroporia gossypium can be considered as a protective biological agent against root rot in threatened Norway spruce stands

Is It Possible to Compromise Forest Conservation with Forest Use?

A variety of elements in nature, from a pine cone’s bracts to a spiral galaxy, are described by a unique mathematical relationship described by Fibonacci as adhering to the “golden ratio”. In forest management, various models are used to achieve a balance between forest use and conservation that meets societal expectations in both ecological and economic terms. In Central European countries, where forest management has been subordinated to the timber industry, such a transition is still in progress, and people continue to look for an acceptable balance between forest conservation and management. The main objective of this paper is to review approaches to forest management in Central Europe with the aim of contributing to current discussions on forest management models in Europe. We anticipate that the new EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 will implement the billion-tree afforestation program with appropriate consideration of forest potential based on the tenets of sustainable management and that the future climate will be neutral. We hope that the forestry aspects of the strategy will provide a positive impetus to forest management by finding effective compromises between forest conservation and forest use in furthering the aims of sustainable development

Is It Possible to Compromise Forest Conservation with Forest Use?

A variety of elements in nature, from a pine cone’s bracts to a spiral galaxy, are described by a unique mathematical relationship described by Fibonacci as adhering to the “golden ratio”. In forest management, various models are used to achieve a balance between forest use and conservation that meets societal expectations in both ecological and economic terms. In Central European countries, where forest management has been subordinated to the timber industry, such a transition is still in progress, and people continue to look for an acceptable balance between forest conservation and management. The main objective of this paper is to review approaches to forest management in Central Europe with the aim of contributing to current discussions on forest management models in Europe. We anticipate that the new EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 will implement the billion-tree afforestation program with appropriate consideration of forest potential based on the tenets of sustainable management and that the future climate will be neutral. We hope that the forestry aspects of the strategy will provide a positive impetus to forest management by finding effective compromises between forest conservation and forest use in furthering the aims of sustainable development

Picea abies–Armillaria–Ips: A Strategy or Coincidence?

Norway spruce trees weakened by soil drought and progressive die-off of mycorrhizas in root systems become susceptible to infection by rhizomorphs of Armillaria spp. The developing mycelium of this necrotroph induces resin channels in wood, and the induced resin releases some volatile compounds which falsely signal bark beetles that it is safe to invade the host. As a result of the developing beetle outbreak, host trees die, becoming a long-term stock of substrate for the fungus in its saprotrophic stage. This hypothesis is discussed as a fungal survival strategy

Abiotic and Biotic Disturbances Affecting Forest Health in Poland over the Past 30 Years: Impacts of Climate and Forest Management

The current nature of forest management in Poland reflects its history and more than 100 years of economic activity affecting forests since independence in 1918. Before that time, different forest management models were used, related to the nature of the Prussian economy in the north of the country, the Russian economy in the central-eastern part, and the Austrian economy in south-eastern Poland. The consequence of these management models, as well as the differing climate zones in which they were used, resulted in varied forest health. Since the end of World War II, forest coverage within Poland‘s new borders has increased from 20.8% to currently 29.6%, mainly as a result of afforestation of wastelands and former agricultural lands. This paper describes changes in the health of forests and their biological diversity in Poland in the context of weather extremes, species composition, forest management, the forest industry, and damage from insects and pathogenic fungi over the last 30 years

Changes in nitrogen level and mycorrhizal structure of Scots pine seedlings inoculated with Thelephora terrestris

$\bullet$ We investigated the influence of Thelephora terrestris, an ectomycorrhizal fungus, on the concentration of nitrogen in needles of Pinus sylvestris L. seedlings and their mycorrhizal structure within four seasons of growth. $\bullet$ Seedlings were grown in four treatments: (I) inoculated + 0.030 g N, (II) inoculated + 0.045 g N, (III) non-inoculated + 0.030 g N, (IV) non-inoculated + 0.045 g N under laboratory conditions and later planted in post-agricultural land. $\bullet$ For inoculated treatments, statistically significant differences in N concentration of needles were observed for two- and four-year-old seedlings. The number of ectomycorrhizae and concentration of N in needles were negatively correlated. After four seasons of growth the greatest numbers of ectomycorrhizae were present on seedlings from treatment II, and the smallest on seedlings from treatment IV. $\bullet$ Two-year-old seedlings had been colonized by at least six different fungal taxa, i.e. Cenococcum geophilum, Hebeloma crustuliniforme, Rhizopogon sp., Suillus bovinus, Thelephora terrestris and a non-identified one. Treatments I and II were dominated by the ectomycorrhizae of T. terrestris and their number was significantly greater than in treatments III or IV. On four-year-old seedlings ectomycorrhizae of T. terrestris were dominated in all treatments, while ectomycorrhizae of Hebeloma sp. were not found.Modifications du niveau d'azote et de la structure mycorhizienne de semis de pin sylvestre inoculés par Thelephora terrestris. $\bullet$ L'influence du champignon ectomycorhizien Thelephora terrestris sur la concentration en azote dans les aiguilles de semis de pin sylvestre et sur la structure mycorhizienne des plants a été suivie durant quatre saisons de croissance. $\bullet$ Les semis ont été cultivés sous quatre traitements : (I) inoculé + 0,030 g N, (II) inoculés + 0,045 g N, (III) non inoculés + 0,030 g N, (IV) non inoculés + 0,045 g N, dans les conditions du laboratoire avant d'être plantés sur le terrain. $\bullet$ Dans les traitements d'inoculés, des différences significatives ont été observées dans la concentration des aiguilles en azote pour les semis de deux et quatre ans. Le nombre de mycorhizes et la concentration des aiguilles en azote étaient corrélés négativement. Après quatre saisons de croissance, le plus grand nombre de mycorhizes a été obtenu dans le traitement II et le plus petit dans le traitement IV. $\bullet$ Les semis de deux ans avaient été colonisés par au moins six taxons différents de champignon : Cenococcum geophilum, Hebeloma crustuliniforme, Rhizopogon sp., Suillus bovinus, Thelephora terrestris et un autre taxon indéterminé. Dans les traitements I et II, les ectomycorhizes de T. terrestris dominaient et leur nombre était plus élevé que dans les traitements III et IV. Pour les semis de quatre ans, les ectomycorhizes de T. terrestris dominaient dans tous les traitements, tandis que celles de Hebeloma sp. étaient absentes

Macrofungi on three nonnative coniferous species introduced 130 years ago, into Warmia, Poland

In fall 2018 and 2019, we assessed colonization by fungi on Douglas fir trees [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco], white pine (Pinus strobus L.), and red cedar (Thuja plicata D. Don.) on selected experimental plots of the former Prussian Experimental Station, where nonnative tree species were introduced from North America over a century ago. The presence of sporocarps on trunks, root collars, and stumps as well as the litter layer in the soil within a radius of 0.5 m around the trunk of the tree was determined. Additionally, the volume of dead wood on the forest floor of the entire plot was assessed. We recorded numerous fungi on trees and stumps as well as in the litter and soil. For the 31 plots in 12 forest districts, we determined 745 sporocarps of 48 taxa, with 335/19 on the wood of P. menziesii trees and stumps, 377/15 on P. strobus, and 33/6 on T. plicata trees. The highest share of trees with various trunk damage levels was found for T. plicata (70.3%) and the lowest for P. menziesii (6.2%). Among the root parasitic fungi, Heterobasidion sp. and Armillaria sp. were found, especially on the collars and stumps of T. plicata and P. strobus; we did not find basidiomata of both pathogens on P. menziesii. The volume of dead wood within the P. menziesii plots averaged 7.1 m3/ha, whereas in T. plicata plots, it was 56.3 m3/ha. We identified 10 taxa that have not been reported in association with P. strobus for Poland (Cylindrobasidium laeve, Dacrymyces sp., Exidia pithya, E. saccharina, Gymnopilus pnetrans, Leptoporus mollis, Mycena sanguinolenta, Tapinella panuoides, Trametes versicolor, and Xylaria hypoxylon) and three taxa (Exidia pithya, Leptoporus mollis, Serpula himantioides) associated with T. plicata