Panu Kunttu

Occurrence Patterns, Diversity and Ecology of Aphyllophoroid Fungi on the Black Alder (Alnus glutinosa) in an Archipelago in the Baltic Sea

Saproxylic (dead-wood-associated) species of fungi are ecologically and functionally important forest-dwelling species but habitat and substrate associations of these species are still incompletely known. In particular, this applies to species that occur on less common host-tree species. We explored diversity and ecology of polypores and corticioids on the black alder (Alnus glutinosa), a little-studied substrate. In total, we collected 2528 records of 138 fungal species. We found 102 species only once or twice, and they comprised 3.8% of all the records, whereas five most numerous species comprised 59.5% of all the records. In total, 27 species were found solely on the black alder. Our results show that substrates of fungal species varied widely. Several species were restricted to specific alder substrates, while others had a remarkably wide substrate utilization, and we identified potentially at least six generalist and six specialist species. Many of the alder-associated species are rare. We conclude that also less common tree species in boreal forests can host diverse fungal assemblages. Thus, maintaining the black alder in forests enhances the diversity of saproxylic fungi.

Checklist of aphyllophoroid fungi (Basidiomycota) of the Archipelago Sea National Park, Southwest Finland

Aphyllophorales is an unnatural group of fungi, which are mainly wood decaying saprobes but also mycorrhizal or parasites, and are phylogenetically diverse. In this study we focused on polypores, corticioids and hydnaceous wood decayers with the common feature to form basidiocarps on woody substrates or litter. The checklist is mainly based on material collected during 2008–2010 in the Archipelago Sea National Park and its surrounding area in Southwest Finland. The aim of the study was biogeographical and ecological research of wood-inhabiting aphyllophorales and their habitats. We list 303 species from the study area. It is 40% of all known species (756) of the target groups recorded in Finland. Six species new to Finland were collected during the field work, which are already reported earlier. Our collections include 26 species, which can be defined as rare, with only five or less earlier records in Finland, and 18 species that are red-listed.

Additions to the myxobiota of the Åland Islands.

Abstract Six myxomycete species new to the Åland Islands are presented: Comatricha elegans, Cribraria intricata, Didymium minus, Hemitrichia clavata, Licea variabilis and Trichia favoginea. The record of Cribraria intricata is the third in Finland. Specimens were collected in September 2014. Altogether the number of myxomycete species found from the Åland Islands is now 55.