Diversity and phenology of the macrofungal assemblages supported by litter in a tall, wet Eucalyptus obliqua forest in southern Tasmania, Australia

Litter in the tall, wet Eucalyptus obliqua forests of southern Tasmania supports rich and diverse macrofungal assemblages, with a total of 146 macrofungal species found fruiting in or on litter in a 1 ha area of native forest encompassing a range of fire histories. Of these, less than half (65 species) can be considered as preferring litter as a substratum, the remainder being more commonly found on soil or wood. Although each plot of differing wildfire history had a characteristic litter mycota, this distinctiveness was not so pronounced as for the macrofungal assemblages associated with soil and wood. The time line for the fruiting of most litter-preferring macrofungal species was narrower than that for species on wood and soil, with peak fruiting occurring during April July. Fruiting at other times correlated with rainfall events in warm dry weather. Species richness and diversity were correlated with the three main vegetation types which generated the litter. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd and The British Mycological Society. All rights reserved.