Monitoring of ectomycorrhizal fungi in some types of spruce forests (Subzone of the Southern Taiga, Perm Territory, Russia)

Abstract

The results of long-term monitoring of ectomycorrhizal fungi biota in some types of spruce forests of Perm Krai are summarized. The studies were conducted using a stationary method on 50 × 20 m accounting plots, one in each of the studied forest types: spruce forest at the brook, sorrel spruce forest. The work was carried out in three periods: I – 1975–1977, II – 1994–1996, III – 2010–2012. In each year of observations, all fruiting bodies of fungi were collected 4 times with an interval of 10 days, their number and air-dry biomass were taken into account. To date, from 80 (sorrel spruce forest) to 124 (spruce forest at the brook) species and intraspecific taxa of ectomycorrhizal fungi have been identified in the studied biogeocenoses. Most of the identified species belong to the families Cortinariaceae, Russulaceae and Tricholomataceae, which is typical of the boreal zone. The greatest number of identified species (72.6–75.0%) were found from 2 to 9 times, and 2–3% of them were constant and occurred annually. Relative stability of the species composition of higher vascular plants (Jaccard index×100: J = 69–88) over time was noted, and more significant changes in the species composition of mycorrhiza-forming fungi (J = 32–52) were recorded. The productivity of ectomycorrhizal fungi in the studied cenoses varies by years and observation periods. The largest number of basidiomes was recorded for wood sorrel spruce forest, and their largest biomass was recorded for spruce forest at the brook. The spruce forest at the brook was the most favorable for the biota of ectomycorrhizal fungi, both in number (Shannon index: H = 1.27) and in biomass (H = 1.54), during all the research, since the biota of ectomycorrhizal fung of the specified cenosis was more diverse and its components were most aligned. It was found that an increase in the average monthly air temperature in June favors the "fruiting" of mycorrhiza-forming fungi in August in the wood sorrel spruce forest (rs = 0.67; p < 0.05).