2005 Leaf Litter Fungi
2005 Leaf Litter Fungi
This inventory entaled collecting microfungi n leaf litter surrounding Fraser Fir, Eastern Hemlock and American Beech trees. This is a year that the Primary Investigator decided to not apply for a DLIA minigrant.
During May, July, and September in 2005, 36 litter samples were obtained under canopies of healthy American Beech (Fagus grandifora), Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) and eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). Since the three tree species are being devastated by exotic pest, baseline data on microfungi was obtained in stands rated as healthy. During one sampling date, a total of 1,224 microfungal isolates were obtained, with 441 from American beech, 399 from Fraser fir, and 384 from eastern hemlock with 32 genera identified. The Fungi Imperfecti comprised over 95% of all fungi observed across all tree species. When isolation frequencies were compared between tree species no significant difference occurred. The most common fungi identified were Trichoderma spp. on Eastern hemlock, Trichoderma spp., Pestalotiopsis sp., and sterile white cultures on American beech, and Penicillium spp. with sterile white cultures from Fraser fir litter. In 2005, a total of 46 taxa identified during the study are first reports for the GSMNP.
