Fungi on decaying leaves of Magnolia liliifera and Cinnamomum iners show litter fungi to be hyperdiverse

Abstract

Diversity of fungi on decaying leaves of Magnolia liliifera and Cinnamomum iners collected during the dry season at Doi Suthep-Pui forest, Chiang Mai, Thailand were studied and compared. Thirty-five taxa were identified from Magnolia liliifera comprising 8 sexual (ascomycetes) and 27 asexual taxa. The most abundant species found were Sporidesmium sp., Colletotrichum fructicola and Stachybotrys parvispora. Seventeen taxa were identified from Cinnamomum iners comprising 2 ascomycetes and 15 asexual taxa. Anamorph of Eutypa sp. 2 and Pleurophragmium sp. were the most abundant species on Cinnamomum iners. There is very little overlap between the fungi occurring on the two host species. Distinct fungal communities were found between the two hosts at each stage of decomposition. Decaying leaves of both hosts collected in the early stage of decomposition supported a greater fungal diversity than those collected at the later stage of decomposition. Saprobic fungi on the two plants are shown to be hyperdiverse.