Fungal communities in soil beneath Scots pine and their stumps. Effect of fungi on Heterobasidion annosum and Armillaria ostoyae growth

Abstract

The soil beneath 30-year-old Scots pines, was inhabited by fungi communities which were at least iwicc as big as communities from ihe 49-year-old stand. The fungi communities in soil beneath the stumps were much smaller compared to those beneath the live trees and more abundant in the 30- than in the 49--year-old stand. The fungal communities in soil beneath the 30-year-old pines have bigger antagonistic effect on Heterobasidion annosum and Armillaria ostoyae than those beneath the 49-year-old stand. The decrease in density of fungi and in the frequency of species antagonistic to H. annosum and A. ostoyae resulted in the decrease of the antagonistic effect on both pathogens in soil beneath pine stumps.