The decomposition of wood mass under conditions of climax spruce stands and related mycoflora in the Krkonoše Mountains

Abstract

The mycoflora was investigated under the conditions of climax spruce stands in the Krkonoše Mountains in relation to wood decomposition. The areas under observation have been affected more or less by air pollution since the eighties. The average mass of deadwood found on the plots is 124 m³ per ha – the mass of fallen trunks is about 32 m3 per ha, mean value from total average. About 128 species of macrofungi were identified that besides others included 43 species of wood-decaying fungi. Also 54 mycorrhizal species were identified. Among the mycorrhizal fungi about 10 species were dominant, such as Laccaria laccata (Scop.: Fr.) Cooke, Lactarius helvus Fr., Lactarius mitissimus Fr., Lactarius rufus (Scop.) Fr., Russula emetica (Schaeff.: Fr.) Pers. and Russula ochroleuca Pers. etc. Concerning the volume of decomposed wood on monitored plots in climax spruce stands, the prevalent wood-decaying fungi are brown rot fungi. The proportion of brown rot fungi in wood decomposition is 60–95% of deadwood mass on the plots of climax spruce stands. A dominant species is Fomitopsis pinicola (Sw.: Fr.) P. Karst. causing the brown rot. Concerning the group of white rot fungi, the most important is Stereum sanguinolentum (Alb. & Schw.: Fr.) Fr., participating by 17% in wood decomposition on plots damaged by deer.