Later Stages Of Decay Research Articles

Combined influence of external nitrogen and soil contact on plant residue decomposition and indications from stable isotope signatures.

External nitrogen (N) supply has been testified to exert important impacts on plant residue decomposition. The influence of N may be interactive with soil contact in terrestrial ecosystems. However, the joint mechanisms of decomposition of plant residues driven by soil contact and N addition remain incomplete. Using contrasting residues, including needles of Chinese fir (Cuninghamia lanceolata) (Cl) (relatively hard to degrade) vs. leaves of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus urophylla) (Eu) (relatively easy to degrade), a full factorial experiment was conducted by 360-day experiment to investigate the combined effect of N addition and soil contact on residue decay. As the microbe-manipulated decomposition could leave an imprint on the residue carbon (C) and N stable isotope, variations of the two signatures (δ13C and δ15N) were synchronously monitored. Our results firstly showed that added N sped up initial decomposition, while it played an opposite role in subsequent stage, and soil contact always stimulated decay. Under soil contact condition, we found a markedly more accelerating effect of N addition on decay of Cl than without soil contact. Linking with residue N dynamics, we thought that although N immobilized from soil could not completely meet microbial needs for decay of Cl, this N limitation was just relieved by added N, leading to this synergistic effect. At late decay stage, the N inhibiting influence was partly offset under soil contact condition, and this phenomenon was more dramatic for Eu. Our results lastly revealed that the 13C and 15N signatures mirrored and explained the underlying mechanisms of the above interactions. Overall, we concluded that external N and soil contact could interactively affect decay, depending on plant residue decomposability. These results would be used to accurately predict C sequestration for terrestrial ecosystems under heightened N scenario in the future.

Trophic interactions among dead-wood-dependent forest arthropods in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA

Food webs based on dead organic matter have received relatively little research attention. Here we focus dead-wood-dependent (saproxylic) arthropod communities—an overlooked component of forest biodiversity that contributes to decomposition of fallen trees and nutrient cycling. First, we summarized information on factors that impact saproxylic arthropod biodiversity via a descriptive mini-review of the literature, given that the structure of food webs should be contingent upon local community composition, species richness, and/or species abundances within and among neighboring rotting logs. Next, we coupled intensive fieldwork with molecular approaches to taxonomic identification of saproxylic arthropods sampled from rotting logs in the southern Appalachian Mountains, and synthesized information on their feeding ecology, in order to infer trophic interactions. Our mini-review highlighted major influences of local-scale (site-specific) factors affecting biodiversity, and by extension, food web structure; a pronounced publication bias toward saproxylic beetles from evergreen forests in Europe was also evident. Our empirical data on community composition of rotting logs at intermediate to late stages of decay revealed a complex food web structure. This was comprised of internal and external primary nutrient sources (dead wood within logs vs. nearby living trees and fallen leaves), a diverse suite of primary consumers (wood-feeding detritivores, leaf litter-feeding detritivores, as well as herbivores and fungivores), several secondary consumer functional groups (omnivorous scavengers and ectoparasites or parasitoids), and top-level carnivorous predators that were mostly made up of spiders, opiliones, and centipedes. We close by discussing persistent challenges and limitations, and suggest future research directions.

Macrofungi composition and diversity on deadwood in Ngel Nyaki forest reserve, Mambilla Plateau, Nigeria

Macrofungi are extensive in diversity and play an essential role in sustaining ecosystems. However, the size and quality of their habitat is decreasing and extinction threatens the remaining 95 % of the world’s undiscovered fungal species. This study was carried out to document the diversity and composition of macrofungi in Ngel Nyaki Montane Forest Reserve. A total of seventy-two (72) wood decomposing fungi were identified belonging to 8 classes, 12 Orders and 27 Families. The most abundant species was Trichoglossum hirsutum (Pers). Boud with 23.49% relative frequency of occurrence followed by Russulax erampelina (7.23%), Hemimycena candida (Bres) Singer (5.42%), Termitomyces eurhizus (Berk.) Heim (4.82%), Pleurotus pulmonarius (Fr.) Quel (4.22%) and Ganoderma sp 1 (3.61%). Thirty-eight (52.77%) of the 72 species were rare, as they were seen and collected once during the survey. Eight (8) different fruiting body forms were encountered. Most of the macrofungi were the gilled fungi (Agarics) with 39 species, followed by the Polypores with 21 species, while cup fungi, slime mould and coral fungi were represented in the whole collection by a single species each. Macrofungi diversity varied significantly across pieces of deadwood with wood in later stages of decay having the highest macrofungi diversity. The study documents the first checklist of macrofungi in Nigeria’s rarest forest landscape. Keywords: Macrofungi, Composition, Diversity, Ngel Nyaki, Mambilla Plateau

Pine stumps act as hotspots for seedling regeneration after pine dieback in a mixed natural forest dominated by Chamaecyparis obtusa

AbstractOver the past few decades, rural forest ecosystems in Japan have experienced dynamic vegetation changes due to forest dieback and changes in land use, leading to the loss of local species populations and biodiversity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the importance of pine (Pinus densiflora) stumps and logs for tree seedling regeneration in a mixed natural forest in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, that had previously experienced severe pine dieback, and to determine which factors most greatly affect seedling establishment. Seedlings of 17 tree species were recorded on pine stumps and logs in later stages of decay, among which Chamaecyparis obtusa and Rhododendron reticulatum were most dominant. Both of these species had a greater density on pine stumps than on logs or soil, despite stumps covering less than 0.5% of the study area. In addition, the seedling densities of both species were positively associated with moss cover on coarse woody debris, but negatively associated with wood pH. Brown rot in the sapwood and heartwood, which occurred more frequently in stumps than in logs, also positively associated with the seedling densities of both species. Predictive modelling showed that C. obtusa seedlings exhibited a stronger response to pH in stumps than in logs. Therefore, since brown‐rotted wood is acidic due to fungal decay activities, brown‐rotted pine stumps may present hotspots of C. obtusa seedling regeneration at the study site.

Litter chemistry influences decomposition through activity of specific microbial functional guilds

AbstractNiche differentiation among species is a key mechanism by which biodiversity may be linked to ecosystem function. We tested a set of widely invoked hypotheses about the extent of niche differentiation in one of the most diverse communities on Earth, decomposer microorganisms, by measuring their response to changes in three abundant litter resources: lignin, cellulose, and nitrogen (N). To do this, we used the model system Arabidopsis thaliana to manipulate lignin, cellulose, and N availability and then used high‐throughput sequencing to measure the response of microbial communities during decay. Resequencing the decomposer communities after incubation of decomposed litter with pure substrates showed that groups of species had unique substrate use profiles, such that species organized into functional “guilds” of decomposers that were associated with individual litter chemicals. Low concentrations of lignin, cellulose, or N in the litter caused unique shifts in decomposer community composition after 1 yr of decay. Low cellulose plants had low levels of fungi in all decomposer guilds, low lignin plants had high levels of fungi in all decomposer guilds, and low N plants had low levels of fungi in decomposer guilds associated with sucrose and lignin. The relative abundance of decomposer guilds correlated with the total loss of individual litter chemicals during litter decay in the field. In addition, N fertilization shifted decomposer communities during both the early and later stages of decay to those dominated by decomposers in the cellulose guild. Our results contrast the assumption that major carbon (C) and N degradation mechanisms are uniform across whole decomposer communities and instead suggest that decomposition arises from complementarity among groups of metabolically distinct taxa.

Fungal succession and decomposition of Pinus densiflora snags

AbstractFungal decomposition of coarse woody debris has an essential role in the biodiversity and carbon and nutrient dynamics in forest ecosystems. However, our knowledge of the effects of fungal species and within‐stem diversity on wood decay is limited. In this paper, I described the process of wood decay and fungal succession of pine (Pinus densiflora) snags using chronosequence method. The results showed that the decay process differed between sapwood and heartwood. Sapwood decayed faster than heartwood, despite their initial densities being the same. Sapwood decay occurred in two phases. The first phase involved a typical white‐rot process wherein acid‐unhydrolysable residue (lignin) and holocellulose decayed simultaneously. White‐rot species, such as Trichaptum abietinum and Phanerochaete sordida, were the dominant fungi and were likely the functional decomposers in this phase. The second phase involved selective decomposition of holocellulose. The dominant fungi in this phase included soft‐rot species, such as Trichoderma spp., that can decompose holocellulose in wood that was previously delignified by white‐rot species. In contrast to sapwood, heartwood experienced less loss of wood density and no clear change in lignocellulose composition, even in later stages of decay. Dominant fungi in heartwood included the latent inhabitants of living pine trees, such as Ascocoryne cylichnium, which is known to reduce colonization and wood decay by strong decomposers. These results suggest that, in addition to decay‐resistant chemicals present in heartwood, the differences in the fungal communities present in heartwood and sapwood were responsible for the differences in their decay rates.

Polypore Communities and Their Substrate Characteristics in Atlantic Forest Fragments in Southeast Brazil

Anthropogenic environmental changes have resulted in biodiversity crisis. Although tropical rainforests are one of the global biodiversity hotspots, their biodiversity is still poorly known. Especially fungi are poorly represented in national Red Lists and conservation plans, despite their important role in ecosystem functioning. We studied wood-inhabiting fungi (polypores) in four areas within two Atlantic rainforest fragments in Southeast Brazil. Our aim was to investigate fungal substrate characteristics and community composition. Deadwood amount ranged from 27 to 82 m3/ha among the four study areas and altogether we recorded 53 polypore species. More species were observed in intermediate and late decay stages than in early decay stages, but other deadwood variables did not explain the occurrence of polypores. Similarity in polypore community composition within and among the areas was low. Dissimilarity originated mostly from species turnover from a transect and area to another, and no nestedness in species occurrence pattern was detected. Hence, the observed dissimilarity in community composition was probably a result of heterogeneity in forest composition and structure, instead of environmental gradients or substrate limitations. These results corroborate previous polypore studies from the Atlantic forest in that tropical polypores are specialists toward particular decay stages. To develop ecologically effective conservation program for tropical polypores, more studies are needed on their distribution and abundance globally.

Response of saproxylic insect communities to logging history, tree species, stage of decay, and wood posture in the central Nearctic boreal forest

Saproxylic insect assemblages are essential functional components of forest ecosystems that can be affected by forest management. We used a split-plot ANOVA design to analyze differences in selected saproxylic insects (all arthropod orders and dipteran and parasitic hymenopteran families) emerging from dead wood of sites with different logging histories (horse-logged, mechanically-logged and unlogged), tree species (Populus and Picea), stage of decay (early- and late-decay stages) and posture (standing and downed logs) in the boreal forest of central Canada. No clear effects of logging history were seen for the studied taxa; however, interaction between logging history and other dead wood features was apparent. Cecidomyiidae consistently emerged more from Populus than from Picea dead wood. Most of the studied saproxylic families were more abundant in late-decay than in early-decay wood. Dipterans of the Cecidomyiidae, Ceratopogonidae, Empididae, Mycetophilidae and Sciaridae families, and hymenopterans of the Diapriidae and Ichneumonidae families were significantly more abundant in downed than in standing dead wood. In contrast, Mymaridae was most abundant in standing dead wood. Our study provides evidence that some insects at high taxonomic levels respond differently to dead wood quality, and this could inform future management strategies in the boreal forest for the conservation of saproxylic fauna and their ecological functions.

Interactions between soil- and dead wood-inhabiting fungal communities during the decay of Norway spruce logs

We investigated the interaction between fungal communities of soil and dead wood substrates. For this, we applied molecular species identification and stable isotope tracking to both soil and decaying wood in an unmanaged boreal Norway spruce-dominated stand. Altogether, we recorded 1990 operational taxonomic units, out of which more than 600 were shared by both substrates and 589 were found to exclusively inhabit wood. On average the soil was more species-rich than the decaying wood, but the species richness in dead wood increased monotonically along the decay gradient, reaching the same species richness and community composition as soil in the late stages. Decaying logs at all decay stages locally influenced the fungal communities from soil, some fungal species occurring in soil only under decaying wood. Stable isotope analyses suggest that mycorrhizal species colonising dead wood in the late decay stages actively transfer nitrogen and carbon between soil and host plants. Most importantly, Piloderma sphaerosporum and Tylospora sp. mycorrhizal species were highly abundant in decayed wood. Soil- and wood-inhabiting fungal communities interact at all decay phases of wood that has important implications in fungal community dynamics and thus nutrient transportation.

Winter Climate Change Influences on Soil Faunal Distribution and Abundance: Implications for Decomposition in the Northern Forest

Winter is typically considered a dormant period in northern forests, but important ecological processes continue during this season in these ecosystems. At the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, we used an elevational climate gradient to investigate how changes in winter climate affect the litter and soil invertebrate community and related decomposition rates of Acer saccharum (Sugar Maple) litter over a 2-year period. The overall abundance and richness of litter invertebrates declined with increasing elevation, while the diversity and abundance of soil invertebrates was similar across the gradient. Snow depth and soil temperature were correlated to the abundance and distribution of the litter invertebrate community, whereas soil organic matter, soil moisture, and soil frost were correlated with the distribution and abundance of the soil invertebrate community. Decomposition rates were initially faster at lower-elevation sites following 1 year of decomposition, then stabilized at the end of 2 years with no difference between higher- and lower-elevation sites. This pattern may be explained by the distribution and abundance of the litter and soil invertebrates. Higher abundances of litter invertebrates, especially Collembola, at lower-elevation sites contribute to faster initial breakdown of litter, while greater abundances of Acari in soils at higher elevation contribute to the later stages of decay. The interaction between decomposition and the associated invertebrate community responded to changes in climatic conditions, with both soil temperature and soil moisture being important determinants.

Acoustics of small rectangular rooms: Analytical and numerical determination of reverberation parameters

A small rectangular room with hard walls has a number of acoustic flaws and the most serious drawback is a long reverberation time. A technique commonly used for improving room acoustics consists in increasing a sound absorption on a ceiling. In this study, the impact of acoustical treatment of a ceiling on reverberant properties of a small rectangular room was examined. Changes in the modal reverberation time due to this treatment were investigated by the analytical method. As was evidenced by calculations, the initial increase in a sound absorption on a ceiling causes a substantial decrease in the modal reverberation time and a treatment efficiency decreases with a further absorption increase. It was found also that for a room with hard walls statistical and wave theories give the same result as the modal reverberation time for oblique modes and the Sabine’s reverberation time are identical. A more detailed information about reverberant properties of a room was provided by the numerical method employing a backward integration of the squared room impulse response. Using this method, global and local reverberation parameters were determined. Numerical simulations discovered a quite good agreement between global and local reverberation time and high differences between global and local early decay time resulting from a nonlinear shape of a decay curve. Therefore, one can conclude that the global decay times characterize reasonably well a reverberation process in a late stage of sound decay but they are not correctly describe this process in an initial stage.

Forest continuity acts congruently with stand maturity in structuring the functional composition of saproxylic beetles

Long temporal continuity in forests has been shown to influence biodiversity through dispersal and recruitment limitations. However, for motile taxa that depend on stand maturity attributes, these limitations may be less relevant. Moreover, while certain habitats may be created rapidly, the development of other habitats may take a long time. Forest continuity and stand maturity may therefore have additive effects on biodiversity. Understanding their relative influence on biodiversity is crucial for conservation. We explored the response of species and functional trait composition of saproxylic beetle assemblages using a balanced sampling design in which we crossed forest continuity (ancient vs recent) and stand maturity (mature vs overmature). We established forty plots in montane forests where we sampled beetles. Stand maturity, related to deadwood resources, induced a strong environmental filtering on both species and functional trait composition. Regardless of forest continuity, species preferring large wood of late decay stages were more abundant in overmature stands. Moreover, overmature stands enhanced the co-occurrence of different saproxylic beetles with contrasting resource requirements. Forest continuity interacting with stand maturity induced taxonomic and functional changes in communities. Compared to other forest types, overmature stands in ancient forests hosted assemblages with many more characteristic species, with a larger average body size and species that prefer large deadwood pieces. Finally, a greater diversity of body sizes was found in these forests. Saproxylic species conservation should therefore benefit from strategies that favor setting-aside overmature stands in ancient forests, promoting sites with higher amounts and heterogeneity of deadwood.

Reintroduction of threatened fungal species via inoculation

Reintroduction of locally extinct species is increasingly applied as a conservation tool for re-establishing species within their historical ranges. Thus far, this option has however not been investigated for fungi other than lichens. A large fraction of wood-inhabiting fungal species have declined because of forest loss and fragmentation, in addition to a decrease in dead wood. Here, we show the results from an experiment carried out in southern Finland, which demonstrates that inoculation is an effective method for reintroducing threatened wood-inhabiting fungi. All selected red-listed fungal species successfully established in the inoculated logs as mycelia, and three out of the seven produced fruit-bodies. Success rate was greater when the strains were inoculated in early-decay logs, including species that usually fruit in late decay stages. Inoculation can provide an effective tool for reintroducing fungal species, as the source populations remain intact and it is possible to produce massive amounts of inoculation-units with relatively low cost. Reintroductions of fungi should however be preceded by a risk assessment of the species to be reintroduced, by using source populations from nearby localities, and they should be considered complementary to the primary target of increasing the amount of their habitat. Our results suggest that the reintroductions of threatened fungi via inoculation in combination with other conservation measures can have important bearings for forest conservation and restoration.

Effect of Continuous and Cyclic Exposure to a Cold Environment on the Development of Larvae of Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in Different Sized Larval Masses.

Regulation of forensic practice in many countries prevents the pathologist performing an immediate autopsy. During the period prior to autopsy, the corpse and the insects possibly associated with it are stored in a mortuary with temperatures ∼4°C. When a corpse is found in a late stage of decay, fly immatures may be present as small or large larval masses. The purpose of refrigeration at 4°C is to slow down the decomposition of the corpse as well as the temporary disruption of the activity and development of the bacteria and the necrophagous insects associated with the corpse. The aim of this research is to investigate the growth and development of different larval masses of the blowfly Lucilia sericata (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) when stored in a cold environment (4°C). The research was divided into experimental sessions comprising different storage conditions (continuous or cyclic exposure to a cold environment) for immature stages (second and third instar) and included four different sizes of larval mass (∼100, 500, 1,000, and 5,000 larvae) feeding on 4 kg of beef liver and replicated three times. Results show that if the larval mass has a size of ∼5,000 larvae, and the larvae have already reached third instar, then when they are exposed to a cold environment, their development continues. The storage condition at 4°C does not disrupt the development of such larvae. The number of larvae and their instar that make up the larval mass are essential data for the subsequent estimation of a correct minimum postmortem interval.

Effects of riparian buffer width on wood loading in headwater streams after repeated forest thinning

Forested riparian buffer zones are used in conjunction with upland forest management, in part, to provide for the recruitment for large wood to streams. Small headwater streams account for the majority of stream networks in many forested regions. Yet, our understanding of how riparian buffer width influences wood dynamics in headwater streams is relatively less developed compared to larger fish-bearing streams. The effects of riparian buffer width on instream wood loading after thinning can be difficult to discern due to the influence of basin characteristics and reach-scale geomorphology on wood recruitment, breakage and redistribution. We assessed the relationships between instream wood loading, geomorphology and riparian buffer width in small headwater streams after upland thinning. Then we examined the distances between pieces of stream wood and their sources, or the distance from which wood volumes were recruited to these streams. Data were collected along 34 stream reaches at six different sites in a replicated field experiment, comparing three no-harvest streamside buffer treatments (∼6-m, 15-mminimum, and ∼70-m widths). At each site, second-growth forests were thinned first to 200trees per ha [tph] and ∼10years later to 85tph, alongside an unthinned reference unit (∼400tph). We measured wood loading (m3/100m) four times: (1) prior to thinning; (2) year 5 post-1st thinning; (3) immediately prior to the 2nd thinning; and (4) year 1 post-2nd thinning. The majority of wood volume was in late stages of decay, most likely biological legacies from the previous forest stand, and distributed along the streambank. Surprisingly, wood volume in early stages of decay was higher in stream reaches with a narrow 6-m buffer than in stream reaches with larger 15- and 70-m buffers and the unthinned reference units. Additionally, wood volume increased with drainage basin area. Only 45% of wood in late stages of decay could be associated with a particular source. Yet, 82% and 85% of sourced wood in early and late stages of decay, respectively, originated from within 15m of streams. Expected continue low rates will likely result in declining volumes of wood in late stages of decay. Thinning and directional felling of logs into to streams could be used to augment wood volumes in the near term, and accelerate the development of large-diameter logs for future inputs. However, the relationship between instream wood loading and basin area suggests that instream wood loading depends on management across the entire watershed.

The complete chloroplast genome of parasitic flowering plant Monotropa hypopitys: extensive gene losses and size reduction

Plastid genomes of parasitic plants represent apt systems, in which the effects of relaxed selective pressure on photosynthetic function are studied. The complete chloroplast genome sequence of nonphotosynthetic mycoheterotrophic plant Monotropa hypopitys was determined. With only 19 protein-coding, four rRNA and 17 tRNA genes in 34 800 bp long genome, it is one of the most reduced plastid genomes characterized until now. Monotropa chloroplast genome lacks all genes encoding photosynthetic functions and RNA polymerase subunits but retains most of the ribosomal protein genes and housekeeping genes infA and matK. Monotropa represents the late stages of chloroplast genome decay following the transition to heterotrophy.

Decay and mineralization of soft tissue in Early Devonian boring ctenostome bryozoans

The Early Devonian of Podolia, Ukraine, has yielded phosphatized colonies of the boring ctenostome bryozoan Podoliapora doroshivi with 3-D preservation of soft tissues. However, the feeding zooids are not anatomically complete, their preserved soft tissues comprising decay-resistant structures such as the protective cuticular polypide sacs with presumed parietal muscles inside the wall of the sacs, the setigerous collars, the membranous orificial walls and remains of the muscle tissues. Early diagenetic apatite mineralization occured in numerous feeding zooids of Podoliapora at different stages of decay and may be important for the interpretation of decay processes in these colonial soft-bodied fossil organisms. A setigerous collar, which is a characteristic of extant ctenostomes, occurs in P. doroshivi in several stages of decay showing progressive collapse and eventual complete loss. This study indicates that the morphological changes of collars induced by decay often resulted in connection with the membranous orificial wall, producing false anatomical structures, unrelated to structures observed in the earlier stages of decay or to the anatomical structures of extant ctenostomes. The most decay-resistant cuticular polypide sacs mineralized as cryptocrystalline apatite in early stage of decay became degraded in later stages of decay. These data provide evidence that the anatomical interpretation of soft-bodied fossils preserved only in the later stages of decay may have led to imprecise morphological interpretations.

A deteriorating state of affairs: How endogenous and exogenous factors determine plant decay rates

Summary Woody plants store large quantities of carbon (C) and nutrients. As plants senesce and decay, these stores transfer to the soil or other organisms or are released to the atmosphere. Exogenous factors such as topographic position and microclimatic and edaphic conditions tied to locations affect decay rates; however, we know less about how exogenous relative to endogenous factors such as morphological, anatomical and chemical construction tied to plant species affect these rates, especially across different tissue types. We monitored stem, fine branch and leaf decay over 1 year in ‘rot plots’ distributed across four watersheds in ridge top and valley bottom habitats in a temperate deciduous oak‐hickory forest at Tyson Research Center, MO, USA, in the Ozark Highlands for 21 species of woody plants that vary in their constructions. We found poor coordination across tissues in construction and decay, which likely reflects how functional constraints on living tissues influence recalcitrance to decay. Additionally, for all three tissues, species membership and construction were better predictors of decay than was location. Of the construction traits, chemical composition including total fibre, lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose and concentrations of multiple microelements were the best predictors of decay, although the strength of these relationships differed among tissues. Synthesis. We have long known that rates of biogeochemical cycling are influenced by exogenous factors, such as climatic and edaphic factors. Here, we show across plant tissues that endogenous factors, including species identity and tissue construction, can have stronger controls on rates of decay within our study system than do exogenous factors. However, it is likely that the relative strengths of these different controls change through time and among tissues. We predict that anatomical and morphological controls may be more important at early stages and exogenous factors may be more important at later stages of decay.

The importance of mature forest as bat roosting habitat within a production landscape

Conserving biodiversity in production forest landscapes with on-going resource extraction, such as mining and logging, is challenging. Habitat restoration is a strategy that is increasingly used to ameliorate impacts to biodiversity in such landscapes. However, restored forest may have limited value for species that require slow-developing microhabitats, such as tree hollows and logs, and the role that restored forest can play in maintaining populations of these species in production forest landscapes is poorly understood. We examined this issue by assessing the suitability of post-mining restored jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest as bat roosting habitat in a production landscape in south-western Australia. We used radio telemetry to track Gould’s long-eared bats (Nyctophilus gouldi) and southern forest bats (Vespadelus regulus) to diurnal roosts during both the maternity and mating seasons. No bats were tracked to a roost in restored forest despite one-third of bats travelling through, or above, restored forest from capture to roosting locations. Both N. gouldi and V. regulus preferentially roosted in large (>60cm DBH), mature trees in mid to late stages of decay. Absence of roosts, and suitable roost trees, in young (<40years old) restored jarrah forest indicated that restored forest is poor roosting habitat in the short term, compared to remnant forest, where bats selected mature roost trees (∼150–200years old). Our study suggests that habitat restoration in production forest landscapes is unlikely to play a significant role in conserving populations of species requiring slow-developing microhabitats, for decades if not centuries. Retaining and managing forest remnants would be a more effective strategy to conserve populations of these species.

Dead wood characteristics influencing macrofungi species abundance and diversity in Caspian natural beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) forests

Aim of study: This study aimed to examine the dead wood inhabiting macrofungi communities occurring on dead beech and hornbeam trees in Caspian forests.Area of study: The Kheiroud forest in the north of Iran.Material and Methods: Data from 205 sampling dead tree were analyzed by means of Generalized Linear Models (GLM) to test the effects of decay stage, DBH, Length or Height on macrofungi diversity. Additionally, tree species, dead wood size, log position, decay stage were used as predictor factors for the number of sporocarps species (NSS) as a fungal species richness and diversity in each dead log using analysis of varianceMain results: The number of sporocarps species (NSS) varied in different dead wood size and decay classes. The different stages of decay and the different size classes of dead wood had significantly different species richness of macrofungi. Deadwood in the high-decayed stages contained the highest diversity of fungi. Most of fungi identified on both logs and snags belonged to Basidiomycetes and Ascomycetes. The highest value for richness and evenness indices calculated in large diameter dead wood in decay class III. The results indicated the size and decay class of dead wood describe the greatest variance of the model that means the highest number of sporocarps species inhabited on the large dead wood in advanced stage of decaying.Research highlights: Macrofungi diversity varied significantly across pieces of dead wood with downed logs, larger pieces, and wood in later stages of decay having the highest macrofungi diversity. Keywords: Caspian forest; coarse woody debris; down woody debris; Iran.