Myxomycete diversity of the state reserve “Stolby ” (south-eastern Siberia, Russia)

The primary objective of the present study was to obtain taxonomic, ecological, and distributional data on the species of myxomycetes (plasmodial slime moulds) in the mountain taiga and steppe communities of the state reserve “Stolby” (Eastern Sayan mountain ridge, Russia). A total of 977 records representing 123 species of myxomycetes in 33 genera were identified from 371 field collections and 606 collections obtained from 953 moist chamber cultures prepared with samples taken from the bark surface of living plants, decaying plant litter and the weathered dung of herbivorous animals between 2003 and 2006 by the first author. Seventy-six species were collected in the field and 65 species were recorded in moist chamber cultures. Records of taxa obtained from moist chamber cultures and field collections complemented each other in terms of the species represented. Seventy-eight species were determined to be rare (frequency of occurrence below 0.5 % of the total of 977 records) and only seven were abundant (exceeding 3 % of all records). Taxonomic descriptions and ecological observations of rare and/or tentatively new taxa found in the study area are provided in the annotated checklist. Myxomycete species richness and specificity had different trends on different substrates: bark had the richest but least specific myxomycete assemblages whereas litter and dung were characterized by the poorest, but most specific assemblages. The myxomycete biota of the reserve displayed a high level of similarity to those of other taiga regions of Russia for which data exist, but differed considerably from the biotas of arid regions. Ninety species are herein first reported for the Krasnoyarsk territory and three (Echinostelium fragile, Physaru