Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

A great threat to forest biodiversity in Sweden is the limited amount of high quality deadwood substrate. The high species diversity associated with deadwood is influenced by a variety of factors, including tree species, microclimate, the stage of decay and the size of the wood. Kelo pine is a unique type of deadwood that is a common element in pristine pine-dominated forests, and a vital substrate for many species of wood-inhabiting fungi. With modern forest practices, pines do not grow old enough for new formation of kelo deadwood to be possible. This makes it more important than ever to study fungal communities associated with this increasingly rare substrate, to determine whether the same fungal species can inhabit other types of deadwood or if they risk extinction alongside the declining number of kelo pines. By collecting sawdust and analysing them through DNA metabarcoding to identify fungal eDNA, I investigated how species composition and species richness differ in pine deadwood of different qualities. The type of pine deadwood had a significant impact on fungal species assemblage composition for all substrate types. Furthermore, no relationship was found between assemblage composition and the microclimatic variables sun exposure and ground contact. Kelo deadwood had a significantly lower species richness compared to all other substrate types, but hosted unique species (including red-listed) not found in other substrate types. In conclusion, these results support earlier findings that highlight the ecological uniqueness of kelo deadwood and the importance of preserving this increasingly rare substrate to support fungal biodiversity in managed forest landscapes.