Acta Mycologica DOI: 10.5586/am.1092 ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER Publication history Received: 2017-04-04 Accepted: 2017-06-16 Macromycetes of Central European lichen Published: 2017-07-20 Scots pine forests of the Cladonio-Pinetum Handling editor Maria Rudawska, Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Juraszek 1927 type in the “Bory Tucholskie” Sciences, Poland National Park (NW Poland) Authors’ contributions BG collected and identifed the material; all authors contributed 1 2 to the manuscript preparation Barbara Grzesiak *, Magdalena Kochanowska , Janusz Kochanowski2 Funding 1 Department of Environmental Biology, Medical University of Lodz, Żeligowskiego 7/9, 90-752 The study was funded by the Lodz, Poland Forest Fund within the project 2 “Bory Tucholskie” National Park, Długa 33, 89-606 Charzykowy, Poland “Research on macroscopic fungi in the Cladonio-Pinetum in the * Corresponding author. Email: [email protected] ‘Bory Tucholskie’ National Park in 2014–2016”. Competing interests Abstract No competing interests have Between 2014 and 2016, research was carried out in the “Bory Tucholskie” National been declared. Park, with the aim to investigate the diversity of species of macrofungi in Cladonio- Pinetum. Te studies recorded 140 taxa of macromycetes, of which the majority was Copyright notice © The Author(s) 2017. This is an basidiomycete (136). Te highest number of taxa of fungi (98) was found in 2016, Open Access article distributed while the lowest (76) was found in the frst year of the study (2014). A total of 90 under the terms of the Creative taxa were found in 2015. Among the identifed species of macromycetes, Inonotus Commons Attribution License, obliquus is on the list of protected fungi covered by partial legal protection and 23 which permits redistribution, commercial and non- reported species are on the “Red list of the macrofungi in Poland”, which is concerned commercial, provided that the with the protection of the habitat of Cladonio-Pinetum. article is properly cited. Keywords Citation Grzesiak B, Kochanowska M, macromycetes; protected area; rare species; PNBT; Natura 2000; dry midland Kochanowski J. Macromycetes coniferous forest of Central European lichen Scots pine forests of the Cladonio- Pinetum Juraszek 1927 type in the “Bory Tucholskie” National Park (NW Poland). Acta Mycol. 2017;52(1):1092. https://doi. Introduction org/10.5586/am.1092 The “Bory Tucholskie” National Park (PNBT) was created on July 1, 1996 in the Digital signature Pomeranian Province in the area of the Chojnice district, within the administrative This PDF has been certifed using digital borders of the communities of Chojnice and Brusy. Its total area is 4613.04 ha [1,2]. signature with a trusted timestamp to assure its origin and integrity. A verifcation PNBT includes clean lakes and numerous bog ecosystems, and forest occupy a majority trust dialog appears on the PDF document when it is opened in a compatible PDF of the area. Te most important objective of nature protection in this national park is reader. Certifcate properties provide preservation of the natural species in biocenotic lakes (especially oligotrophic lakes), further details such as certifcation time and a signing reason in case any alterations bogs and pine forests [3]. made to the fnal content. If the certifcate is missing or invalid it is recommended to Pine forests are the dominant component of forest ecosystems in the PNBT. Among verify the article on the journal website. these are predominantly sub-Atlantic mesophilous pine forests of Leucobryo-Pinetum (41.66% of terrestrial communities in the Park, with an area of 1911.82 ha) and midland dry pine forests of Cladonio-Pinetum (20.28% of terrestrial communities in the Park, with an area of 930.58 ha) [4,5]. Te lichen-rich pine forests of Cladonio-Pinetum represent special habitats protected under the Natura 2000 scheme as Central European lichen Scots pine forests (91T0) [4–7]. Tis is a very unstable community. Te method of creating Cladonio-Pinetum is not clearly defned. Tey may be a natural variation of pine forests, or their formation could be anthropogenic and associated with the historical and traditional agricultural economy of the population in heavily forested areas. Drawing a clear boundary between dry and fresh pine forests is difcult because all varieties of pine forests gradually trans- fer into one other. Te main component of this community is lichen of the Cladonia Published by Polish Botanical Society 1 of 18 Grzesiak et al. / Macromycetes of Cladonio-Pinetum in the PNBT genus, section Cladina [7–10]. A large share of these lichens in the undergrowth of a pine forest community is an indicator determining the habitat of Cladonio-Pinetum. Te habitat is very sensitive to changes in environmental factors. Decreasing patches of lichen in the undergrowth in favor of mosses may indicate a decrease in the surface area of this community [8,9]. Te community of Cladonio-Pinetum is a priority in terms of conservation objectives in the PNBT [3]. To achieve this objective, it is important to monitor and document biodiversity of all the organisms that live in patches of the Cladonio-Pinetum community. Fungi are one of these organisms and play an important role in the structural and functional aspect of Cladonio-Pinetum and are an important component of undergrowth [11]. Te fungi of Cladonio-Pinetum in Europe and Poland are known only to a minor extent. Te macromycetes of Cladonio-Pinetum have been examined in the Lüchow- Dannenberg district of Germany [12]. In the publications of Polish mycologists, there are data on macroscopic fungi in the Cladonio-Pinetum community [13–21]. Te fungi of these habitats have not been covered by separate observations. During comprehensive mycological research conducted in 2000–2001 in “Bory Tucholskie” National Park, observations were made in other dry pine forest habitats, and the results are included in a general statement of species [11]. In 2014 to 2016, a project was conducted in the PNBT (“Research on macroscopic fungi in the Cladonio-Pinetum in the ‘Bory Tucholskie’ National Park in 2014–2016”) with the primary aim of creating a mycological inventory of the Cladonio-Pinetum com- munity located mainly in the northwestern area of the Park, in the protective district Drzewicz. Tis paper presents the research results obtained during this project. Material and methods Te material included macromycetes collected in the vegetative season in 2014 to 2016. Observations were carried out once a month (April–November), with a total of eight observations made each year. Te study included all patches representing the most typical fragments of the community. Field investigations began with recognition of the habitat and locations where permanent plots were established. Te range of occurrence of the habitat was established by Solon and Matuszkiewicz [4] and Matuszkiewicz et al. [5], who determined six permanent observation plots measuring 10 × 100 m (10 acres) and gave them the names CP 1 to CP 6 (Fig. 1). CP 1 is located in Forest Section 7, in a pine tree stand. Te area has a slight incline, and the undergrowth is covered compact layer of Cladonia spp. Between these are mosses, namely Pleurozium schreberi and Dicranum spurium, and small quantities of deadwood (i.e., branches, logs). CP 2 is Forest Section 32, which is in a pine tree stand, with young pines in the undergrowth. Fig. 1 Localization of permanent plots of Cladonio-Pinetum in the “Bory Tucholskie” National Park, protective district Drzewicz [from: Salamaga et al. (modifed) [22] and BG]. © The Author(s) 2017 Published by Polish Botanical Society Acta Mycol 52(1):1092 2 of 18 Grzesiak et al. / Macromycetes of Cladonio-Pinetum in the PNBT Te undergrowth is covered in a compact layer of Cladonia spp. Between these are mosses, namely Pleurozium schreberi and Dicranum spurium, with a small account of Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinum vitis-idaea, and Calluna vularis, and single pine logs, stumps, and trunks. CP 3 is located near the duct between Forest Sections 12 and 13. Tese are covered with a lichen layer of genus Cladonia spp., with a pine tree stand and birches. Between these are mosses, namely Pleurozium schreberi and Dicranum spurium, with small amounts of deadwood. CP 4 is in Forest Section 13, in lower terrain, with a few moss patches of Pleurozium schreberi and Dicranum spurium, a pine tree stand, and lots of dead wood (i.e., logs, stumps). CP 5 is in Forest Section 12, in a pine tree stand. Te area has a slight incline, and the undergrowth is covered by a compact layer of Cladonia spp. Between these are mosses, namely Pleurozium schreberi and Vaccium myrtillus and small amounts of deadwood (i.e., branches). CP 6 is in Forest Section 29, near Krzywce Wlk Lake, in a pine stand with an admixture of birch. Patches of lichen are present in small numbers, and in the undergrowth there are a lot of mosses, namely Pleurozium schreberi and Dicranum spurium, with sparse Vaccinum myrtillus and deadwood (i.e., logs, branches, stumps, trunks). Te pine tree stands are aged 40–128 years, with an average of 84 years [5]. Te permanent plots were not indicated by signs in the area on a sustainable basis. Teir geographical coordinates, determined by a Garmin Colorado 300 GPS receiver, were recorded and applied to the base GIS PNBT (to measure the center of each plot). Geographical coordinates of the permanent plots and numbers of forest sections (f.s.) are as follows: CP 1 – f.s. 7, N 53.85243°, E 17.53777°; CP 2 – f.s. 32, N 53.84313°, E 17.54083°; CP 3 – f.s. 12, N 53.84719°, E 17.57927°; CP 4 – f.s. 13, N 53.84715°, E 17.57752°; CP 5 – f.s. 12, N 53.84407°, E 17.58092°; CP 6 – f.s.