Morphological traits predict host-tree specialization in wood-inhabiting fungal communities

TY - JOUR

T1 - Morphological traits predict host-tree specialization in wood-inhabiting fungal communities

AU - Purhonen, Jenna

AU - Ovaskainen, Otso

AU - Halme, Panu

AU - Komonen, Atte

AU - Huhtinen, Seppo

AU - Kotiranta, Heikki

AU - Læssøe, Thomas

AU - Abrego, Nerea

PY - 2020/8

Y1 - 2020/8

N2 - Tree species is one of the most important determinants of wood-inhabiting fungal community composition, yet its relationship with fungal reproductive and dispersal traits remains poorly understood. We studied fungal communities (total of 657 species) inhabiting broadleaved and coniferous dead wood (total of 192 logs) in 12 semi-natural boreal forests. We utilized a trait-based hierarchical joint species distribution model to examine how the relationship between dead wood quality and species occurrence correlates with reproductive and dispersal morphological traits. Broadleaved trees had higher species richness than conifers, due to discomycetoids and pyrenomycetoids specializing in them. Resupinate and pileate species were generally specialized in coniferous dead wood. Fungi inhabiting broadleaved trees had larger and more elongated spores than fungi in conifers. Spore size was larger and spore shape more spherical in species occupying large dead wood units. These results indicate the selective effect of dead wood quality, visible not only in species diversity, but also in reproductive and dispersal traits.

AB - Tree species is one of the most important determinants of wood-inhabiting fungal community composition, yet its relationship with fungal reproductive and dispersal traits remains poorly understood. We studied fungal communities (total of 657 species) inhabiting broadleaved and coniferous dead wood (total of 192 logs) in 12 semi-natural boreal forests. We utilized a trait-based hierarchical joint species distribution model to examine how the relationship between dead wood quality and species occurrence correlates with reproductive and dispersal morphological traits. Broadleaved trees had higher species richness than conifers, due to discomycetoids and pyrenomycetoids specializing in them. Resupinate and pileate species were generally specialized in coniferous dead wood. Fungi inhabiting broadleaved trees had larger and more elongated spores than fungi in conifers. Spore size was larger and spore shape more spherical in species occupying large dead wood units. These results indicate the selective effect of dead wood quality, visible not only in species diversity, but also in reproductive and dispersal traits.

KW - Broadleaved

KW - Coniferous

KW - Dead wood

KW - Fruit body

KW - Functional trait

KW - Morphology

KW - Specialization

KW - Spore

KW - Tree species

U2 - 10.1016/j.funeco.2019.08.007

DO - 10.1016/j.funeco.2019.08.007

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85073532267

SN - 1754-5048

JO - Fungal Ecology

JF - Fungal Ecology

M1 - 100863

ER -