Assessment of Diversity of Saproxylic Fungal Communities in Boreal Forest Using the MycoPins Method
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Grant: IST
Sarah Apgar
CoPIs:
Mariela Nunez, Breanne Hoyte, Madhumitha Sadhasivan Gayathri, Laura Vengine, Joel Lim,
College:
xxxxxxx
Major:
xxxxx
Faculty Research Advisor(s):
Maria Shumskaya
Abstract:
Assessment of Diversity of Saproxylic Fungal Communities in Boreal Forest Using the MycoPins Method
Sarah Apgar, Joel Lim, Madhumitha Sadhasivan Gayathri, Laura Vengine, Breanne Hoyte, Mariela Nunez, Maria Shumskaya
Kean University, USA
Fungi play several important roles in boreal forests, the major role being primary decomposers of organic matter. While decomposing, they release nutrients to the environment and contribute to overall plant and microbial growth. This decomposition causes the structure of detritus to change over time, thereby making the habitat more suitable for other organisms as the process progresses. Succession after this fashion is impacted by many factors.
Forests boast a wide diversity of tree species that belong to angiosperms or gymnosperms. Angiosperms (broadleaf trees) produce hardwood, while gymnosperms (conifers) produce softwood. These types of wood, while being made mostly of cellulose and lignin, differ in other chemistry that determines characteristics such as hardness and resistance to microbial invasion. Deadwood is therefore a highly diverse nutritional resource and likely harbors an equally diverse group of specialized fungal species. Our research aims to identify various saproxylic fungi in a boreal forest, where the ecosystem is undisturbed by anthropogenic factors, characterize their succession, and assess the effects of forest management strategies on their diversity.
The MycoPins method was utilized to monitor fungal colonization in woody debris. This method allows for the accessible placement of wooden pins (MycoPins) in soil, and their collection for sample processing and data analysis. For our experiment, various MycoPins (hardwood and softwood) were buried at four different sampling sites in a boreal forest in Finland. The four different transects: a swamp, a broadleaf forest, and a protected forest with and without access to reindeer, were sampled throughout 2022-2023. Allowing for the pins to be exposed to the natural fungal community present in the forest environment, pins were removed every 2 weeks (winter permitting), and assessed for fungal species utilizing a metabarcoding method. Our research group analyzed 35 MycoPins collected from a transect in a broadleaf forest, the site open to visitors' access and the diversity of plants being mostly hardwood. Metabarcoding was used to evaluate the fungal diversity in the MycoPins: DNA was extracted from each sample, amplified using PCR, purified, and sequenced using next-generation sequencing.
The research emphasizes the critical ecological function of fungi in boreal forests, providing data on formation of saproxylic fungal guilds throughout the wood decomposition process, and their differences depending on the forest type and type of wood. This in turn, highlights their importance in decomposing dead wood in an ecosystem, facilitating nutrient cycling, and supporting forest health and regeneration. The insights gained from this study pave the way for further investigations emphasizing the need for informed strategies to conserve biodiversity and make use of these vital natural resources. The deployment of the MycoPins method represents a promising avenue for future ecological studies and enables a deeper understanding of the complex interactions that shape forest ecosystems.