Species diversity and composition of fungal communities in a Scots pine forest affected by the great cormorant colony

Abstract

A Scots pine forest, affected by the great cormorant colony, was studied by plot-based fungal survey method during the years 2010-2012 in Lithuania. Diversity and composition of fungal communities were investigated at five zones that had been influenced by different stages of breeding colony establishment: starting-point and almost abandoned cormorant colony part (zones A and B), active part (zones C and D), and the edge of the colony (zone E). The control zone G in undamaged by cormorants pine stand was assessed too. A total of 257 fungal species of ascomycetes including anamorphic fungi, basidiomycetes and zygomycetes were recorded. Seven species were registered for the first time in Lithuania. Species richness in the examined zones varied, lowest being in zones B (51 species), C (46) and D (73) and almost twice as high in the zones A and E (129 and 120, respectively). The comparison of fungal species compositions of different zones showed that their similarity was rather low (SS: 0.22–0.59). The most obvious changes in the trophic structure of fungal communities in the territory occupied by the bird colony were a strong decrease of mycorrhizal species, the presence of coprophilous fungi on forest litter, and the appearance of host-specialized fungi on alien and non-forest plants that have established in the disturbed forest.