Occurrence of leaf litter inhabiting myxomycetes from lowland forest patches of Northern and Central Vietnam

Linh Thuy Thi Nguyen,Oriana Sanchez-Mahecha,Nikki Heherson A Dagamac,John Carlo Redeña-Santos,King Joshua Almadrones-Reyes

doi:10.1007/s42965-020-00059-9

Abstract

During the last years, much of the diversity studies of myxomycetes (plasmodial slime molds) have been concentrated mostly in the Southern region of Vietnam. Moreover, information on leaf litter inhabiting myxomycetes for the country is still in scarcity. Hence, this study aims to assess the occurrence and distribution of leaf litter inhabiting myxomycetes in different forest types in the subtropical northern and coastal tropical monsoon central part of the country. Samples of aerial and ground leaf litter that were used to prepare moist chamber cultures in the laboratory were collected in (1) Ba Vi National Park, Ha Noi, (2) Ho Nui Coc, Thai Nguyen, and (3) coastal forest patches in Da Nang. A total of 24 species belonging to 10 genera, wherein the majority of these myxomycete species appeared abundantly (11 species) is reported for this study. Based on species richness, Ha Noi harbored the highest number of myxomycete species. Leaf litter inhabiting myxomycete communities between aerial and ground substrates shared a high level of similarity based on their species composition and relative abundance. Highest level of similarity of leaf litter inhabiting myxomycete asssemblages is also reported between Ha Noi and Da Nang (CC = 0.78, PS = 0.56). This research study is the first step in understanding the complex myxomycete ecology of leaf inhabiting myxomycetes and would help filling now the large gap in one of the unexplored tropical areas of the world.

Highlights

With its unique and diverse topographic, climatic and hydrographic conditions, Vietnam is recognized as one of the mega hotspot for biodiversity around the world
Comparing the similarities of myxomycete communities among those areas (Fig. 4b), Ha Noi and Da Nang (CC: 0.78, Percentage Similarity (PS): 0.56) have higher species shared in comparison to Da Nang and Thai Nguyen (CC = 0.63, PS = 0.57) and Thai Nguyen and Ha Noi (CC = 0.62, PS = 0.42). This rapid assessment of myxomycete diversity focusing on leaf litter inhabiting myxomycetes serves as baseline information for understanding myxomycete ecology and distribution in Vietnam
A total of 247 (82%) moist chambers that were positive with myxomycetes indicated a relatively high productivity of moist chambers (MC) used in this whole survey

Summary

Introduction

With its unique and diverse topographic, climatic and hydrographic conditions, Vietnam is recognized as one of the mega hotspot for biodiversity around the world This is evident from the high degree of landscape-level variation among ecoregions in the country ranging from tropical rain forests and mangrove habitats to marine ecosystems. A hot topic for the country is the exploration of its rich biodiversity since it is quite clear that biodiversity plays a very important role in contributing to the direct benefits for people and national economy of the country, especially in the field of agriculture, forestry and aquatics This is the basis for ensuring food security and maintaining the genes that builds new species of plants and animals. One of the microorganism groups that play the aforementioned roles are the unknown group of terrestrial fungus-like protists called the myxomycetes

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