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Forests
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Diversity, Abundance, and Distribution of Wood-Decay Fungi
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Diversity, Abundance, and Distribution of Wood-Decay Fungi

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Wood Science and Forest Products".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 March 2024) | Viewed by 7788

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Carolina Girometta

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Sant’Epifanio 14, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Interests: mycology; plant pathology; systematics; taxonomy; ecology; bioremediation; mushroom cultivation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Giancarlo Angeles Flores

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Pharmacy Department, University of Chieti, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Interests: medicinal plants and fungi; dermatophytes; microorganisms; human pathogenic fungi and bacteria; antimicrobials; biological assays
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Wood decay fungi are the main actors responsible for lignocellulose decomposition in ecosystems, and they therefore play a very important role in the carbon cycle and display trophic strategies shifting from merely saprotrophic to necrotrophic based on the species and environmental conditions. Although the majority is categorized into one class (Agaricomycetes), the morphology evolution in wood decay fungi is regarded as a model of extreme diversification or unexpected convergence within or among taxa. Progress in taxonomy studies has been facing new challenges in joining traditional approaches and molecular techniques: poorly explored areas of the Earth, new species concepts in complex taxa, new molecular markers, mating systems and compatibility, metabolomics as a support for taxa discrimination, and integration between ecological data and biogeography are only some examples of emerging issues. Wood decay fungi are also indicators of the complexity in ecosystems both when the species are considered alone or within mycocoenosis. On the other hand, several wood decay fungi are important factors or co-factors in pathological conditions occurring in trees and shrubs, either cultivated or in natural/seminatural environments.

This Special Issue aims to provide an overview of the current trends and advances in wood decay mycology from different perspectives; it also encourages the proposition of multi-approach studies consistently focusing on the same object. This Special Issue therefore aims to collect recent advances in the diversity, abundance, and distribution of wood decay fungi.

Potential topics include but are not limited to:

  • Field surveys and long-term monitoring;
  • Conservation of wood decay fungi and respective hosts/habitats;
  • Mycocoenology of wood decay fungi;
  • Recent acquisitions and theories in taxonomy;
  • Cytological, molecular, and chemical approaches to the study of the biodiversity;
  • Wood decay fungi in plant pathology;
  • Current distribution of the taxa, biogeographic patterns, and evolutive radiation in wood decay fungi.

Dr. Carolina Girometta
Dr. Giancarlo Angeles Flores
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • wood decay
  • macrofungi
  • lignocellulose
  • habitat
  • diversity
  • biogeography
  • abundance
  • taxonomy
  • survey

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 623 KiB  
Editorial
Silent Eminence in Forests: Re-Discovering Wood-Decay Fungi
by Carolina Elena Girometta and Giancarlo Angeles Flores
Forests 2024, 15(9), 1550; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15091550 - 3 Sep 2024
Viewed by 519
Abstract
The Special Issue is devoted to the diversity, abundance, and distribution of wood-decay fungi, which historically have sparked little attention in both scholars and amateurs, despite the refinement of cultivation techniques and valorization of medicinal species over the course of several centuries, especially [...] Read more.
The Special Issue is devoted to the diversity, abundance, and distribution of wood-decay fungi, which historically have sparked little attention in both scholars and amateurs, despite the refinement of cultivation techniques and valorization of medicinal species over the course of several centuries, especially in Eastern Asia [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity, Abundance, and Distribution of Wood-Decay Fungi)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

21 pages, 13535 KiB  
Article
Phylogenetic Diversity, Host Specificity, and Distribution of the Wood-Decaying Fungus Phellinotus teixeirae in Western Colombia’s Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest
by Ana C. Bolaños-Rojas, Jorge M. Londoño-Caicedo, Andrés J. Cortés and Viviana Motato-Vásquez
Forests 2024, 15(6), 1008; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15061008 - 8 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 899
Abstract
Phellinotus (Polyporales) is a common genus of wood-decay fungi in tropical and subtropical areas, endemic to the Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest (SDTF) biome. However, Phellinotus diversity remains unexplored, despite being a major threat to living trees. Therefore, this study is aimed at confirming [...] Read more.
Phellinotus (Polyporales) is a common genus of wood-decay fungi in tropical and subtropical areas, endemic to the Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest (SDTF) biome. However, Phellinotus diversity remains unexplored, despite being a major threat to living trees. Therefore, this study is aimed at confirming and characterizing through morphological and molecular data the first isolates of Phellinotus teixeirae in Pithecellobium dulce (Fabaceae) trees (locally referred to as ‘Chiminango’) from the endangered Colombian SDTF biome. Fifteen fungal specimens were recovered from living P. dulce trees, in the urban area and at the Universidad del Valle campus, and classified as P. teixeirae based on taxonomical descriptors. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred from a four-loci dataset (ribosomal and gene-coding regions), including 82 taxa covering 3991 nucleotide positions. The analysis recovered seven highly supported (>90% bootstrapping) monophyletic taxa of the ‘Phellinotus Clade’, and confirmed the new distribution range of P. teixeirae (100% bootstrap support), which extends approx. 1000 km north in the Neotropics. Hierarchical stratified Analysis of MOlecular VAriance (AMOVA) provided a clear genetic distinction between species (70% of variation, p-value = 0.001) and low differentiation among country of origin within species (11%, p-value = 0.044). Discriminant Analysis for Principal Components (DAPC) indicated complex clustering including closely related species, probably a signal of recent radiation and weak species boundaries. Median-joining haplotype network analysis identified unique haplotypes, which may correlate with new host colonization and population expansion (Tajima’s D ≤ −0.5). In conclusion, this study provides the first assessment of the genetic diversity of P. teixeirae in a novel geography (SDTP) and host tree (P. dulce). However, increasing the number of isolates remains critical to understand further the genus’ distribution patterns and drivers of genetic diversity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity, Abundance, and Distribution of Wood-Decay Fungi)
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26 pages, 33558 KiB  
Article
An Example of the Conservation of Wood Decay Fungi: The New Research Culture Collection of Corticioid and Polyporoid Strains of the University of Salamanca (Spain)
by Simone Buratti, Carolina Elena Girometta, Elena Savino and Sergio Pérez Gorjón
Forests 2023, 14(10), 2029; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14102029 - 10 Oct 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1371
Abstract
Over the last decade, fungal conservation has become an increasingly important topic, especially for species tied to forest ecosystems. Among these, wood decay fungi are a group of interesting species from ecological and applicative points of view. Culture collections represent an important tool [...] Read more.
Over the last decade, fungal conservation has become an increasingly important topic, especially for species tied to forest ecosystems. Among these, wood decay fungi are a group of interesting species from ecological and applicative points of view. Culture collections represent an important tool for the conservation of species and research material. The aim of this study was to establish the first research culture collection of wood decay fungal strains, mainly corticioid and polyporoid species, at Salamanca University (Spain). From two areas of the Iberian Peninsula, a total of 120 basidiomata were collected and morphologically identified. From these, 55 strains were successfully isolated in pure culture and their identity was confirmed by DNA molecular analysis. The average growth rate of each strain was recorded and mycelium characteristics, such as colony morphology and microscopic features, were described. Notable strains in the collection included: (1) Botryobasidium asperulum and Phlebia rufa for taxonomical studies; (2) Hericium erinaceus, Grifola frondosa and Pleurotus species for medicinal properties; (3) Irpex lacteus, Phanerochaete sordida and Trametes versicolor for their degradation capabilities; (4) Stereum gausapatum and Stereum hirsutum for their applicative and enzymatic potential. The new fungal strain culture collection represents a valuable tool for the ex situ conservation of Mediterranean wood decay fungi. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity, Abundance, and Distribution of Wood-Decay Fungi)
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26 pages, 9175 KiB  
Article
The Lignicolous Genus Entonaema: Its Phylogenetic–Taxonomic Position within Hypoxylaceae (Xylariales, Fungi) and an Overview of Its Species, Biogeography, and Ecology
by Ana Pošta, Neven Matočec, Ivana Kušan, Zdenko Tkalčec and Armin Mešić
Forests 2023, 14(9), 1764; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14091764 - 31 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1435
Abstract
The lignicolous saprotrophic genus Entonaema contains six formally accepted species: E. liquescens (type species), E. cinnabarinum, E. globosum, E. dengii, E. moluccanum, and E. siamensis. Its stromatic ascomata develop on the surface of dead wood remnants; they are [...] Read more.
The lignicolous saprotrophic genus Entonaema contains six formally accepted species: E. liquescens (type species), E. cinnabarinum, E. globosum, E. dengii, E. moluccanum, and E. siamensis. Its stromatic ascomata develop on the surface of dead wood remnants; they are rather large, globose to irregularly shaped, and vividly coloured. The fresh stroma interior is filled with a liquid matter. In early studies, the genus was considered to have a preference for tropical habitats, while in more recent field research, numerous collections have been added from warm, temperate areas of Europe, North America, and Asia. Our taxonomic and phylogenetic studies were based on freshly collected E. cinnabarinum from Croatia and E. liquescens from the USA. A phylogenetic study of the sequence alignment of four concatenated gene regions (ITS, LSU, rpb2, and β-tub) revealed the true taxonomic position of Entonaema within Hypoxylaceae (Xylariales), a sister to Hypoxylon carneum. Detailed macroscopic and microscopic descriptions of E. cinnabarinum are accompanied by drawings and colour photographs, while the study of E. liquescens is focused on stromatal microchemical reaction. With new information, the worldwide identification key to the putative species of Entonaema is proposed. Ecological data and biogeographical patterns were studied using all available and reliable sources of recorded data. Climatic preferences of the two most widespread Entonaema species, E. liquescens and E. cinnabarinum, are discussed in detail. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity, Abundance, and Distribution of Wood-Decay Fungi)
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17 pages, 2836 KiB  
Article
Wood-Decay Fungi Fructifying in Mediterranean Deciduous Oak Forests: A Community Composition, Richness and Productivity Study
by Ángel Ponce, Elena Salerni, Maria Nives D’Aguanno and Claudia Perini
Forests 2023, 14(7), 1326; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14071326 - 28 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1257
Abstract
Deadwood is involved in several important ecological roles, being the fundamental habitat of wood-decay fungi. At the same time, this polyphyletic group of fungi is the principal agent of wood decomposition, regulating the carbon cycle and the food resource for many other organisms. [...] Read more.
Deadwood is involved in several important ecological roles, being the fundamental habitat of wood-decay fungi. At the same time, this polyphyletic group of fungi is the principal agent of wood decomposition, regulating the carbon cycle and the food resource for many other organisms. It is known that the diversity and community composition of wood-decay fungi are related to the tree species, decay stage and size of the woody debris in which they are living. Nevertheless, there is a lack of information on Mediterranean Quercus cerris L. forests. In response, we explored how wood-decay fungi colonize different woody types and how the productivity, richness and community composition of these fungi is influenced by the decay stage and size of the deadwood. Our results indicate that the studied groups, i.e., Ascomycetes, Corticioids, Polyporoids and Heterobasidiomycetes responded differently to the woody debris classes. Moreover, we note the high importance of smaller and soft-decayed woody debris for community composition and richness, hosting a great number of species, in addition to the positive effect of the heterogeneity of the woody debris size for wood-decay fungi productivity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity, Abundance, and Distribution of Wood-Decay Fungi)
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24 pages, 4944 KiB  
Article
High-Throughput DNA Metabarcoding of Stem Sections from Trees with Cavities Describes Fungal Communities Associated with Variable Wood Decay, Position on Stem and Tree Species
by Matteo Garbelotto and Michael G. Johnson
Forests 2023, 14(6), 1070; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14061070 - 23 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1467
Abstract
The presence of unculturable fungi, variability in timing and frequency of fungal fruiting, hyper-rich fungal communities, and genetic and environmental variability explains the difficulty in adopting ideal sampling schemes and fungal identification approaches in studies of fungal communities in wood at variable stages [...] Read more.
The presence of unculturable fungi, variability in timing and frequency of fungal fruiting, hyper-rich fungal communities, and genetic and environmental variability explains the difficulty in adopting ideal sampling schemes and fungal identification approaches in studies of fungal communities in wood at variable stages of decay. Here, we use intensive within-tree sampling of five standing trees with cavities paired with high-throughput DNA metabarcoding, to study fungal communities in decayed and healthy wood of trees from two Populus species in British Columbia, Canada. The amplification of over 3000 fungal DNA sequence variants shows the presence of a hyper-rich wood fungal community that not only varied depending on PCR primers, tree species, tree stem portion and wood decay stage. but also included a large number of taxa unassignable to any known sub-kingdom taxonomic order based on published DNA sequences. Our data show that the use of two different primer sets greatly increases the power of the metabarcoding analysis. By testing three alternative models of fungal community composition, we identify the model that best explains fungal community by considering the position on the stem and distance from the cavity. We suggest this model may be used to design optimal sampling schemes to describe fungal communities in trees experiencing discrete decay pockets or cavities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity, Abundance, and Distribution of Wood-Decay Fungi)
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