Vertical differentiation of the richness and species composition of the myco-, licheno- and briobiota of windthrown trees in Kampinos National Park

Abstract

Vertical distribution of species richness of various groups of organisms within trees is still insufficiently understood. The reason for this are, among others, the difficulties in accessing standing trees. The aim of the study was to determine the differentiation of species richness of fungi, lichens and lichenicolous fungi and bryophyte of three tree species (oak, birch and pine) within windthrow areas in the Kampinos National Park (central Poland). Ten individuals of each tree species were chosen. They were only thrown, not broken, without serious damage, still alive and easily accessible. The investigations of species composition were performed in five parts of each tree: trunk bottom, lower trunk, upper trunk, lower crown and upper crown. Individual parts of the trees were measured, than their surface and volume were determined. The species richness of the studied groups of organisms was calculated using rarefaction curves based on the number of samples, volume and area of the distinguished tree parts. Species composition changes of the tree parts were described using non−metric multidimensional scaling. The most important parts of trees for fungi were the crowns of trees, in particular oak’s. The highest richness of lichens was found within the crown of oaks, however they were recorded within all of the distinguished tree parts. The highest richness of bryophytes was recorded in the lower crown of oak and the trunk base of birch, but this group of organisms generally did not inhabit the birch and pine crowns. In the case of rarefaction curves based on the number of samples, the large positive meaning of the oak was observed, however the observed pattern was different when the volume and surface were taken into account. The general species richness of the studied taxa was similar for three tree species, the pine was distinguished positively in case of fungi, birch – in the case of lichens and oak – in the case of bryophytes. The species of trees differ from each other in terms of the species composition of the studied groups of organisms. We also observed the gradual change in the species composition from the base of the trunk to the upper crown