Dead wood is a source of life : Stem traits, fungal communities, and stem decomposition of temperate tree species

This study assesses the effects of environmental traits and landscape management on the biodiversity of saproxylic beetles from “dehesas” located in Sierra Morena Mountains (Córdoba, Southern Iberian Peninsula). The dehesa is an open savanna-like landscape with mature/old trees scattered on a pasture cover where both living and dead wood are of great importance for the maintenance of macroinvertebrate fauna. The study was carried out in five plots, with different environmental features and management. A total of 137 branches belonging to the four main tree species present in the area were collected, classified, and kept under four different thermal conditions. From January to June 2019, the adult emergences were followed. A total of 466 saproxylic specimens of 31 species were obtained, 5 of them included in red lists of protected fauna. Two Bostrichidae species (Lichenophanes numida Lesne and Scobicia pustulata Fab.) and two Cerambycidae (Chlorophorus ruficornis Oliv. and Trichoferus fasciculatus Faldermann) are included in the “European Red List of Saproxylic Beetles”; and the Clerid Tillus ibericus Bahillo de la Puebla, López–Colón and García–Paris, is included in the “Red Book of Invertebrate of Andalucía”. Differences were observed regarding the diversity and abundance among the plots and among the tree species from which the beetles emerged. Simple regression analyses revealed negative relationships between tree density/Buprestidae, livestock/Bostrichidae, and land use/Cerambycidae. Multivariant logistic regression analysis did not find significant relationships among environmental traits and saproxylic diversity. Results confirmed that dry wood was a main resource for the maintenance dehesas’ biodiversity because it constitutes an ecological niche exploited by a significant set of saproxylic beetles belonging to the Bostrichidae, Buprestidae, and Cerambycidae families, in addition to other guilds of species, mainly Carabidae and Cleridae, which feed on the above-mentioned groups. Our results also support that increasing environmental temperature accelerates the development of Buprestidae, but this effect was not evident for the Bostrichidae species.

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Long-term effects of stump removal and tree species composition on the diversity and structure of soil fungal communities

FEMS Microbiology Ecology ◽

10.1093/femsec/fiaa061 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 96 (5) ◽

Author(s):

Dixi Modi ◽

Suzanne Simard ◽

Jean Bérubé ◽

Les Lavkulich ◽

Richard Hamelin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Composition ◽

Fungal Community ◽

Tree Species ◽

Management Practice ◽

Tree Regeneration ◽

Root Disease ◽

Fungal Communities ◽

Tree Species Composition ◽

The Impact

ABSTRACT Stump removal is a common forest management practice used to reduce the mortality of trees affected by the fungal pathogen-mediated root disease, Armillaria root rot, but the impact of stumping on soil fungal community structure is not well understood. This study analyzed the long-term impact of stumping and tree species composition on the abundance, diversity and taxonomic composition of soil fungal communities using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) marker-based DNA metabarcoding in a 48-year-old trial at Skimikin, British Columbia. A total of 108 samples were collected from FH (fermented and humus layers), and soil mineral horizons (A and B) from stumped and unstumped plots of six tree species treatments (pure stands and admixtures of Douglas-fir, western red-cedar and paper birch). Fungal α-diversity in the A horizon significantly increased with stumping regardless of tree species composition, while β-diversity was significantly affected by stumping in all the horizons. We also observed that the relative abundance of the saprotrophic fungal community declined while that of the ectomycorrhizal fungal community increased with stumping. In conclusion, increase in ectomycorrhizal fungal associations, which are positively associated with tree productivity, suggests that stumping can be considered a good management practice for mitigating root disease and promoting tree regeneration.

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Relationship between wood-inhabiting fungi determined by molecular analysis (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) and quality of decaying logs

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x10-176 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 40 (12) ◽

pp. 2384-2397 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

Tiina Rajala ◽

Mikko Peltoniemi ◽

Taina Pennanen ◽

Raisa Mäkipää

Keyword(s):

Tree Species ◽

Gel Electrophoresis ◽

Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽

Lignin Content ◽

Fruit Body ◽

Fungal Communities ◽

Important Species ◽

European Aspen ◽

Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽

Decaying Wood

We investigated the fungal communities inhabiting decaying logs in a seminatural boreal forest stand in relation to host tree species, stage of decay, density, diameter, moisture, C to N ratio, Klason lignin content, and water- and ethanol-soluble extractives. Communities were profiled using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis fingerprinting of the rDNA ITS1 region coupled with sequencing of fungal DNA extracted directly from the wood. In addition, polypore fruit bodies were inventoried. Logs from different tree species had different fungal communities and different physicochemical properties (e.g., C to N ratio, density, ethanol extractives, and diameter). Ascomycetes comprised a larger portion of communities inhabiting deciduous birch ( Betula spp.) and European aspen ( Populus tremula L.) logs compared with those living on coniferous Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.). A relationship between mycelial community structure and density of decaying spruce logs suggested a succession of fungi with mass loss of wood. The fruit body inventory underestimated fungal diversity in comparison with the culture-free denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis that also detected inconspicuous but important species inhabiting decaying wood.

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Canopy tree species and openness affect foliar endophytic fungal communities of understory seedlings

Ecological Research ◽

10.1007/s11284-016-1426-z ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 157-162 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Saya Kato ◽

Yu Fukasawa ◽

Kenji Seiwa

Keyword(s):

Tree Species ◽

Fungal Communities ◽

Canopy Tree ◽

Canopy Tree Species

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Diversity of macro-detritivores in dead wood is influenced by tree species, decay stage and environment

Soil Biology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1016/j.soilbio.2014.08.010 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 78 ◽

pp. 288-297 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Juan Zuo ◽

Myrthe Fonck ◽

Jurgen van Hal ◽

J. Hans C. Cornelissen ◽

Matty P. Berg

Keyword(s):

Tree Species ◽

Dead Wood ◽

Decay Stage

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Quantitative and qualitative attributes of dead wood in dominated by Carpinus betulus L. forests in Kaniv Nature Reserve

Agroecological journal ◽

10.33730/2077-4893.1.2021.227238 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 42-53

Author(s):

O. Chornobrov ◽

V. Shevchik ◽

I. Solomakha

Keyword(s):

Tree Species ◽

Dead Wood ◽

Nature Reserve ◽

Structural Features ◽

Average Volume ◽

Carpinus Betulus ◽

Permanent Sample Plots ◽

Norway Maple ◽

Standing Dead ◽

Fallen Dead Wood

The article presents the quantitative and qualitative attributes of dead wood in forests dominated by Carpinus betulus L. in Kaniv Nature Reserve. The study was conducted in 130–140-year natural common hornbeam forests on two permanent sample plots of 0.24 ha each by identifying and measuring all components of standing and lying (fallen) dead wood. It was found that wood detritus has an average volume of 39.8 m3/ha consists of standing dead trees (23.1%) and fallen dead wood (76.9%). The species composition is dominated by common hornbeam (96.5%), and the share of Norway maple (Acer platanoides L.) is low (3.5%). Wood of II (13.2 m3/ha, 33.1%) and III (12.2 m3/ha, 30.7%) classes of destruction predominates. Standing dead wood is formed by only one tree species — common hornbeam and has an average volume of 9.2 m3/ha. It is represented mainly by standing broken trees. The volume of standing dead wood is dominated by wood detritus of the II stage of decomposition (95.7%). Fallen dead wood is formed by two tree species — common hornbeam (95.4%) and Norway maple (4.6%), has an average volume of 30.6 m3/ha. It is represented by whole uprooted and broken fallen trees (trunks), fragments of fallen trees (trunks) and rough branches. Lying dead wood is represented by detritus of all five classes of decomposition, but wood of III (12.2 m3/ha, 39.9%) and IV (9.6 m3/ha, 31.4%) classes predominates. The volume of fallen dead wood is mainly formed by components with an average diameter of 10.1–30.0 cm (75.7%). The diversity of fractions and components, structural features, sizes and stages of decomposition of dead wood can be important in the formation of potential habitats and substrates for a number of species of living organisms.

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On the insect fauna of dead wood at the early stage of decay

Известия СПбЛТА ◽

10.21266/2079-4304.2017.220.33-45 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

А.Э. Хумала ◽

М.Ю. Мандельштам ◽

Н.Б. Никитский ◽

А.В. Полевой

Keyword(s):

Picea Abies ◽

Species Composition ◽

Tree Species ◽

Betula Pendula ◽

Dead Wood ◽

Early Stage ◽

Populus Tremula ◽

Trophic Relationships ◽

Insect Fauna ◽

Trunk Diameter

Мертвая древесина является основным местообитанием для огромного числа лесных видов насекомых, которые используют ее как пищу, субстрат для развития или временное убежище, одновременно участвуя в ее разложении. Видовой состав комплекса насекомых-разрушителей древесины в бореальной зоне довольно хорошо изучен, но до сих пор значительная часть типичных лесных групп представлена видами, биология и пищевая специализация которых изучены недостаточно. В 2015 г. нами исследована фауна насекомых на валеже текущего года трех пород деревьев: береза (Betula pendula), осина (Populus tremula) и ель (Picea abies x fennica). Исследования проводились в заповеднике «Кивач» (Республика Карелия) с использованием специализированных ловушек – стволовых эклекторов. В сборах идентифицировано 107 видов насекомых из 34 семейств отрядов Coleoptera, Hymenoptera и Diptera. Видовое разнообразие сильно варьировало на различных стволах, не зависело от породы и типа отпада (ветровал/бурелом), но имело тенденцию к росту с увеличением диаметра ствола. Видовой состав был довольно специфичен на всех породах, но достоверно отличался только на ели. Анализ распределения видов насекомых на стволах выявил несколько их ассоциаций как на березе, так и на ели, что позволяет говорить о совместной встречаемости некоторых видов (не связанных друг с другом прямыми трофическими связями), а возможно и о существовании более тесных связей между ними. Отмечен ряд видов, редко встречающихся в Фенноскандии, а также ранее не регистрировавшихся в Карелии. Приводится список видов, для которых удалось выявить не известные ранее особенности биологии, а также видов, находки которых интересны в фаунистическом плане. Dead wood is the main habitat for a large number of forest-dwelling insects that use it as a food source, development substrate, or temporary shelter, simultaneously contributing to its disintegration. Species composition of wood-inhabiting insects is well studied in the boreal zone, however a significant part of the typical forest-living groups is represented by species with poorly studied biology and trophic relationships. In 2015, we studied insect fauna on freshly fallen trees of birch (Betula pendula), aspen (Populus tremula) and spruce (Picea abies x fennica). The studies were conducted in the Nature Reserve Kivach (Republic of Karelia) using specially designed trunk emergence traps. Altogether, 107 species, representing 34 families of Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Diptera were identified. Species diversity varied significantly on different trunks. It did not depend on the tree species or a type of strap (windfall/windbreak), but tended to increase with increasing trunk diameter. The species composition of insects was quite distinctive on different tree species, but differed significantly only on spruce. Analysis of the species distribution revealed several associations on birch and spruce, which suggests at least co-occurrence of some insect species (not assuming direct trophic link) and possibly existence of a closer relationships between them. The range remarkable of species has been observed, including rare representatives of Fennoscandian fauna and species not registered before in the Republic of Karelia. We provide a selective list of species with notes on previously unknown ecological peculiarities, as well as species that represent valuable faunistic findings.

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Plant traits and taxonomy drive host associations in tropical phyllosphere fungal communities

Botany ◽

10.1139/cjb-2013-0194 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 92 (4) ◽

pp. 303-311 ◽

Cited By ~ 88

Author(s):

Steven W. Kembel ◽

Rebecca C. Mueller

Keyword(s):

Host Plant ◽

Tropical Forests ◽

Fungal Community ◽

Tree Species ◽

High Throughput Sequencing ◽

Plant Traits ◽

Fungal Species ◽

Fungal Communities ◽

Fungal Community Composition ◽

Individual Tree

The aerial surface of plants, known as the phyllosphere, represents a widespread and diverse habitat for microbes, but the fungal communities colonizing the surface of leaves are not well characterized, and how these communities are assembled on hosts is unknown. We used high-throughput sequencing of fungal communities on the leaves of 51 tree species in a lowland tropical rainforest in Panama to examine the influence of host plant taxonomy and traits on the fungi colonizing the phyllosphere. Fungal communities on leaves were dominated by the phyla Ascomycota (79% of all sequences), Basidiomycota (11%), and Chytridiomycota (5%). Host plant taxonomic identity explained more than half of the variation in fungal community composition across trees, and numerous host functional traits related to leaf morphology, leaf chemistry, and plant growth and mortality were significantly associated with fungal community structure. Differences in fungal biodiversity among hosts suggest that individual tree species support unique fungal communities and that diverse tropical forests also support a large number of fungal species. Similarities between phyllosphere and decomposer communities suggest that fungi inhabiting living leaves may have significant roles in ecosystem functioning in tropical forests.

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