Abstract

The aim of this study was to obtain a better understanding on short-distance basidiospore dispersal of the wood-decay fungus Fistulina hepatica, thereby providing valuable knowledge for the conservation management of this protected species. Specifically, the study was expected to reveal site-specific patterns of basidiospore release and spread in oak stands during one fruiting season under north European conditions. The trapping of fungal spores was carried out between August and October 2022 using passive spore traps placed in three oak stands (>200-year-old) in central Lithuania. The average daily temperature was recorded throughout the period of spore trapping. Collected samples were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing of fungal ITS2 rDNA. The results showed that the relative abundance of F. hepatica reads was influenced by the time of fruitbody maturation, but not by the average daily temperature. Although there was a certain variation among different study sites, the results showed that a great majority of F. hepatica spores were deposited within 50 m from the fruitbody, showing that the fungus to a large extent is dependent on local habitats for colonization.

Keywords

beef steak fungus; conservation management; protected species; Quercus robur; spore dispersal; wood-decay

Published in

Diversity
2023, Volume: 15, number: 11, article number: 1110

SLU Authors

• Menkis, Audrius

  • Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG15 Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss


UKÄ Subject classification

Forest Science
Ecology


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/d15111110

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/127288