Comparing diverse macrofungal assemblages associated with various litter microhabitats supporting by molecular data in the Ozark mountain forest

Abstract

Diverse assemblages of macrofungi are associated with the heterogeneous litter microhabitats that occur on the forest floor. Functionally, these organisms are referred to as litter-decomposing fungi, and they represent a primary component of ecosystem functioning. However, the taxonomic diversity, functional diversity and community composition of litter-associated macrofungi are seriously understudied. The objectives of the present study were first to document and then to compare the diversity, function and distribution of litter-associated macrofungi associated with multiple microhabitats on the forest floor at two sites in the Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas. Taxonomically, neither total species richness nor macrofungal productivity was substantially different between the two sites, but the composition of the two assemblages varied. The community patterns comprised of 47 and 42 macrofungal species documented and related to 27 and 24 genera, at least 21 and 17 families for the Devil’s Den Park (DD) and Pea Ridge (PR) Park, respectively. Diverse functions overlapped various litter microhabitats at both sites, but based on species richness and fruiting productivity, saprotrophs were dominant and appeared to shape the community structure of the guilds present. The leafy litter species formed approximately 62.7% and 60.9% of the reproductive structures with distinct reproductive traits for PR and DD plots, respectively. Four species seemingly represent indicator taxa in PR plots, whereas only two taxa could be characterized as indicator taxa in DD plots. Several abiotic and biotic factors apparent in the present study may be important for characterizing the litter-associated macrofungi of forests in the Ozark Mountains. The current results documented species that sexually succeed to reproduce, develop, and form fruiting bodies under highly competitive environments between inter and intra populations in diverse fungal community assemblages and other organisms.