Long term observation of mycorrhizal status and above-ground fungi fruiting body production in oak forest

Abstract

Abstract:The complex study in oak forest (D evíc; Czech Republic) provided unique long-term data concerning the mycorrhizal activity, fungi fructification and health status of trees in relation to elementary environmental factors. When comparing spring and autumnal root sampling, the statistically significant difference in the nonactive mycorrhizae and dry root mass of 1 mm or less occurred. The annual monitored values of fungi fructification and their differences are dependent on summer and autumn precipitation. The total annual precipitation is not of great importance. The significant connection between defoliation and increased relative quantity of nonactive mycorrhizae and, on the contrary, reduction of the active mycorrhizae density was documented in the overall evaluation. Spring and autumn root samples provided statistically significant difference in the nonactive mycorrhizae and dry root mass of roots below 1 mm in diameter. Long-term surveys are important for understanding the structure of mushroom assemblages and their biodiversity. The significant variation of the annual monitored values of fungi fructification is mostly dependent on precipitation intensity during summer and autumn and not on the total annual precipitation. No significant relation between the mycorrhizal activity and fructification of macromycetes was found in the sense of actual maximum-minimum abundance in time. The significant variation occurs in annual values of fungi fructification, number of species and mycorrhizal distribution, what is influenced by many factors. As a most significant and influencing of these factors is the course of precipitation. The year-on-year and also spring and autumnal differences between the mycorrhizal activity which was not in correlation in time with fungi fructification, were ascertained. Since this discovery significantly predicates the status of the monitored mycorrhizal stand, we consider their actual monitoring as highly opportune and mutually completing the final general view.Additional key words: mycorrhizal symbiosis; macromycetes; Quercus; dynamics of mycorrhizae; MultiDimensional scaling (MDS).