Microclimate and the spatio-temporal dynamics of natural production of two ectomycorrhizal fungi from the Guineo-Sudanian ecozone in Benin

Abstract

The study aims to determine the relation between the micro-climate and the natural production of Amanita subviscosa, and Lactifluus gymnocarpoides, in the Guinea-Sudanian ecozone. Nine permanent plots of 50 ×50 m were installed in three different vegetations of the “Ouémé Supérieur” forest reserve in central Benin. The mycological surveys were carried out during three (3) mycological seasons, each from June to October at a frequency of two visits per week and per plot. The number of fruiting bodies and the fresh biomass were recorded. Microclimatic parameters (soil water content, air temperature, soil temperature, relative humidity and precipitation) were measured using a rain gauge and a HOBO micro station data logger installed at the middle of each plot. We tested several Generalized Linear Mixed Effects Models (GLMM) using the lme4 package to obtain the effect of recorded microclimate factor on the number of fruit bodies of each species and the Linear Mixed Effects Model (LMM) using the package nlme for fresh biomass. The study showed that soil water content is the main driver of fungal fruiting phenology and increased biomass production. The fruiting of A. subviscosa is positively affected by air temperature and soil water content (p = 0.0004) but negatively affected by relative air humidity. The fructification of L. gymnocarpoides is only positively affected by the air temperature and negatively affected by relative air humidity and soil water content. Soil water content significantly affects the fresh biomass of A. subviscosa (p≈0) while the fresh biomass of L. gymnocarpoides is significantly affected by soil water content and relative air humidity (p≈0). All species for their natural production have specific response at microclimate parameters variation.