Diversity and Ecological Distribution of Macrofungi in a Site of Community Importance of Umbria (Central Italy)

Abstract

This study attempts to assess diversity and distribution of macrofungi in six Collestrada woodland types characterized by a prevalent plant species: the Carpinus betulus, the Quercus cerris, the Q. frainetto, the Q. petraea, the Q. ilex, and the plantations with Pinus pinea and Pinus pinaster. The mycological survey was carried out from January 2011 to July 2013, throughout the Collestrada woodland types. A total of 305 species belonging to 61 families and 121 genera were identified from the Collestrada forest over a 2 y and half sampling. The collected species were mainly Basidiomycota (97%), including a high relative abundance of Agaricomycetes (96.6%). The Agaricales order is the most represented. The diversity and structure of the macrofungi assemblages are mainly affected by the host tree species composition. The macrofungal community at Q. frainetto woodland, displayed the highest richness and diversity. The lowest richness and diversity was found in Pinus spp. plantation. Among the species collected, 81 fungal species were included in the Red List (or proposals for Red Lists) in several European countries because of their rarity due to natural or anthropogenic factors. For this it may be worth taking the Collestrada forest into consideration for the in situ conservation of these species.