FUNGAL POPULATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN CUT BEECH LOGS

Abstract

The spatial development, in beech logs exposed to air-borne and soil-borne inoculum, of mature fungal communities containing mutually or unilaterally exclusive mycelia of decay species is described and related to the ecological strategies and interaction of participant individuals. A combative heirarchy is recognized between (i) ruderal and/or stress-tolerant individuals which are spatially dominant early on and then decline, through (ii) air-borne combative individuals of decay fungi, such as Coriolus versicolor (L. ex Fr.) Quél. and Stereum hirsutum (Willd. ex Fr.) S. F. Gray, which establish mutually exclusive decay columns expanding away from the aerial cut surface, and culminating with (iii) highly combative individuals of mycelial cord-formers such as Phallus impudicus (L.) Pers. and Phanerochaete velutina (DC ex Pers.) Parmasto, which invade slowly from the base, ultimately occuping large volumes of wood, causing intense decay, and replacing many of the pioneers. Addition of basidiospore suspensions of Bjerkandera adusta (Willd. ex Fr.) Karst., C, versicolor, Hypholoma fasciculare (Huds. ex Fr.) Kummer or S. hirsutum to the aerial cut surface appeared to affect community dynamics and functioning markedly. Development of decay columns by air-borne fungi was inhibited and associated with enhanced vertical penetration by basally-colonizing fungi, and persistence of the relatively non-combative species Xylaria hypoxylon (L. ex Hooker) Greville and Armillaria bulbosa. (Barla) Kile & Watling. Re-cutting of the aerial cut surface resulted in community development patterns somewhat intermediate between those in naturally colonized and inoculated logs.