Tasmanian Fungi

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PhD studies of Genevieve Gates (at the Warra LTER Bird Track)
Title: Macrofungal biodiversity as a tool in sustainable forestry, with special reference to coarse woody debris

Old Growth	Burnt in 1898	Burnt in 1934	Burnt in 1898 and 1934

Introduction:

• Large dead wood, technically known as coarse woody debris (CWD), is an important component of forest structure.
• Ecological roles include the provision of food and shelter for saproxylic organisms, long-term nutrient storage and recycling of elements.
• Many species of fungi grow on and in CWD, facilitating the decomposition processes that release carbon and other elements back into the environment.
• Biofuel and charcoal production industries are a threat to the quantity, continuity and connectivity of CWD. Conservation of CWD to maintain and prevent loss of biodiversity should be a prime concern for forestry managers.

Aims:

• To take four plots with different fire histories in a Eucalyptus obliqua wet sclerophyll forest, map and classify the CWD according to size, state of decay, and bryophyte cover at each plot.
• To record the fungi found on the CWD and other substrates: soil, litter, fine woody debris, and living wood.
• To investigate the associations between macrofungal assemblages and substrate, and to compare the results from the four plots.

Methods:

• Four 50x50m plots (Old growth, burnt in1898, burnt in 1934, and burnt both in 1898 and 1934) were chosen along the ‘Bird Track’ at the Warra LTER site. CWD (≥ 1.0m in length and ≥ 10cm in diameter) in each plot was mapped. Wood diameter, volume, decay class and bryophyte cover were recorded for each piece of CWD.
• Macrofungal surveying of all substrates in each plot was carried out at fortnightly intervals for 15 months between April 2006 and July 2007.
• Statistical analyses for CWD data included linear regression and graphs of number of pieces and volumes of CWD versus decay class, diameter class and percent bryophyte cover.
• The macrofungal data were analysed using canonical analysis of principal coordinates (CAP).
• Fungal species accumulation data were modelled to determine predicted species richness.

Conclusions:

• Forests of different ages support a different mycota, suggesting that multi-aged stands are necessary for maintaining species richness.
• There are as many fungal species supported by other wood as by CWD; however, the species lists, although overlapping, are not the same.
• Some fungal species have been identified as being faithful to a particular CWD diameter, CWD decay class or forest type, e.g. Cuphocybe sp. in Old growth.
• CWD in different decay stages and of different lengths or surface areas is important in maintaining species richness and preserving biodiversity.

This study was supported by grants from the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment and from Forestry Tasmania.

For further information, contact

Genevieve Gates email address: Genevieve.Gates@utas.edu.au