Macrofungal flora of Swedish beech forest related to soil organic matter and acidity characteristics

Abstract

The composition and edaphical differentiation of the beech forest mycoflora in Scania, south Sweden, was studied during 5 years, using 300 permanent sporophore observation plots. Considerable dissimilarities in species composition were found between topsoils of different acidity and organic matter properties. Less acid mull soils were particularly characterized by decomposer fungi. The frequency of mycorrhiza species increased sharply towards the most acid soils with more or less well-developed mor properties. The contribution of ‘exclusive’ beech forest species was usually a little below 20% of the frequency sum of all species. A conifer forest element became equally important in the most acid soils, in spite of a total lack of conifers in the stands. Most species attaining frequencies high enough for consideration exhibited a more or less distinct edaphical preference. The use of macrofungi as indicator organisms in environmental studies of soil acidification deserves future consideration.