Myxomycetes in the virgin beech and old-aged spruce forests of National Nature Park “Bewitched Land” (Ukrainian Carpathians)

I O Dudka,T I Kryvomaz

doi:10.30970/sbi.0702.286

Abstract

Mycological observations in virgin beech and old-aged spruce forests of National Nature Park (NNP) “Bewitched Land” carried out in July 2011 allowed to reveal 20 myxomycete species. Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa belongs to subclass Ceratiomyxomycetidae, other 19 species are representatives of subclass Myxogastromycetidae, assigned to four orders: Trichiales (8 species), Physarales (5), Liceales and Stemonitales (on 3 species each). The highest frequency of occurrence was noted for Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa, Arcyria cinerea and Lycogala epidendrum. Dictydiaethalium plumbeum was determined as the species with rather limited distribution in Ukraine and the Ukrainian Carpathians, especially. Investigation of myxomycete substrate preferences showed that the most important woody species that supported development of the majority of slime molds in NNP “Bewitched Land” were spruce ( Picea abies ) and beech ( Fagus sylvatica ). Unlike the Carpathian biosphere reserve and NNP “Skolivski Beskydy” where myxomycetes predominantly used beech wood as a substrate myxomycete biota of “Bewitched Land” showed reverse type of substrate association preferring the wood of coniferous tree – spruce. Keywords: National Nature Park “Bewitched Land”, Myxomycetes, slime molds, virgin and old-aged forests, taxonomic diversity, substrate preferences.

Highlights

The dead wood – old stumps, trees destroyed by insects and damaged by various fungal and bacterial diseases but remain standing, fallen trunks, branches and twigs – forms one of the richest microbiotopes for biological diversity in forest ecosystems
Comparison of myxomycete species diversities in National Na ture Park (NNP) “Bewitched Land” and in two other protected nature objects with the virgin beech and the old-aged spruce-fir forests (Carpathian biosphere reserve and NNP “Skolivski Beskydy”), where we studied slime molds earlier [5, 21], showed rather noticeable difference between the species richness of myxomycetes
Ecological analysis of myxomycete substrate preferences showed that the most important woody species that supported the development of the majority of slime molds in NNP “Bewitched Land” were spruce (Picea abies) and beech (Fagus sylvatica)

Summary

Introduction

The dead wood – old stumps, trees destroyed by insects and damaged by various fungal and bacterial diseases but remain standing, fallen trunks, branches and twigs – forms one of the richest microbiotopes for biological diversity in forest ecosystems.

Methods

Results

Conclusion