Frequency of microscopic fungi in the upper layer soil of coniferous tree stands

Relevance of the topic: Along with bacteria, fungi are important as decomposers in the soil food web. Fungi convert hard-to-digest organic material such as the cellulose and lignin into forms that other organisms can use. Microscopic saprophytic fungi are dominant in forest soil, there fungi community compositions differed within tree species and soil quality Methodology: The present study was designed to examine frequency and prevalence of microscopic fungi in the top layer of mineral soil of native tree Pinus sylvestris L., Picea abies (L.) H. Karst. and alien tree Thuja occidentalis L. and Larix sibirica Lebed stands. Studies on fungi frequency conducted every two months (January, March, May, July, September and November) in 2019, prevalence of fungi genera – in March and May of 2021. Biochemical composition ( N, P, Ca, lignin) of investigated tree litter was also rated. Results: By the carbon and nitrogen (C: N) and lignin and nitrogen (Lig: N) ratios, the slowest decompositions were of the T. occidentalis litter and the fastest one of P. abies litter. Most abundant microscopic fungi were found in early spring (March) and late autumn (November) and the least one at the end of summer. The biggest frequency of microscopic fungi was in the soil of T. occidentalis and the least one in P. sylvestris stands. 21 fungi genus were found in the soil of investigated stands. The diversity of fungi genera was bigger in March. In May, the rise of temperature influenced the decline of some fungi genera and prevalence of others. Fungi of Penicillium, Geomyces, Mucor, Mortierella, Trichoderma genera were detected in the soil of all studied stands. The highest diversity of fungi genera was identified in the soil of P. sylvestris stand. Conclusions & practical implications: The frequency and diversity of microscopic fungi in the upper layer of mineral soil of studied coniferous tree stands was influenced by biochemical [...]Miškų ir ekologijos fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta