Report on Macrofungi of the Columbia River Basin By: Dr. Steven i. Miller Department of Botany University of Wyoming November 9,1994 Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project Science Integration Team - Terrestrial Staff S. L. Miller--Eastside Ecosystem Management Project--l, Biogeography of taxonomic group Macrofungi found within the boundaries of the Eastside Ecosystem Management Project (EEMP) include three major subdivisions--Basidiomycotina, Ascomycotma and Zygomycotina. The subdivision Basidiomycotina. commonly known as the “Basidiomycetes”, include approximately 15,000 or more species. Fungi such as mushrooms, puffballs and polypores are some of the more commonly known and observed forms. Other forms which include the jelly fungi, birds nest fungi, and tooth fungi are also members of the Basidiomycetes. The majority of the Basidiomycetes are either saprouophs on decaying wood and other dead plant material, or are symbiotic with the living cells of plant roots, forming mycorrhizal associations with trees and shrubs. Others are parasites on living plants or fungi. Basidiomycotina are distributed worldwide. The Ascomycotina is the largest subdivision of true fungi, comprised of over 2000 genera. The “Ascomycetes”, as they are commonly referred to, include a wide range of diverse organisms such as yeasts, powdery mildews, cup fungi and truffles. The Ascomycetes are primarily terrestrial, although many live in fresh or marine waters. The majority of these fungi are saprotrophs on decaying plant debris. lMany sapronophic Ascomycetes specialize in decomposing certain host species or even are restricted to a particular part of the host such as leaves or petioles. Other specialized saprouophic types include those fungi that fotrn kuiting structures only where a fire recently occurred or on the dung of certain animals Xlany other Ascomycetes are parasites on plants and less commonly on insects or other animals. Still other Ascomycetes form symbiotic relationships with vascular plants--mycotrhizae, and algae--lichens. Only Ascomycetes that form macroscopic sexual Eruiting structures will be examined in this report. Ascomycetes can be found world wide. The Zygomycotina is a diverse assemblage of fungi that either reproduce asexually by means of non-motile sporangiospores or by large, resistant chlamydospores. Many of these “Zygomycetes” are microscopic fungi that are mold-like, are ubiquitous in soil and dung, and are mostly saprotiophic. These forms wilI not be considered further. Another group within the Zygomycetes form a symbiotic relationship with the roots of grasses, herbaceous and crop plants, as well as with some trees and woody shrubs. This relationship is known as endomycotrhizae. These fungi are also distributed worldwide. -’ Members of each of these three subdivisions are found in abundance within the boundaries of the EEMP. Because of the close and absolute relationships, either symbiotic or saprotrophic, that these fungi have with vascular plants, areas of high macrofungal diversity and presumably endemism would occur where vascular plant diversity is high, relative to individual habitat types. Specifically this would include the mesic areas of Wyoming, Montana and northern Idaho located within the EEMP, as well as similar, although much less extensive areas that may be found in Utah, Nevada and eastern Washington and Oregon. The relationship between high vascular plant diversity and high fungal diversity holds for the endomycorrhizal Zygomycetes as well,. However, the areas of high diversity for these fungi and their hosts will be reiatively drier than mesic forest sites where diversity of Basidiomycetes and Ascomycetes would be highest. Characterized in this fashion, many of the areas of high macrofungal diversity and endemism would be in national forest, wilderness, national grasslands and other properties under federal jurisdiction within the EEMP boundary. S. L. LIiller--Eastside Ecosystem Mxqement Project--3 Key ecological groups and their functions Several key ecological groups can be identified within each taxonomic categories descrilxd above. These include ecto- and endomycotrhizal fungi, saprouophic fungi, parasitic fungi and lichen forming fungi. Key functions of each functional group is provided in Table 1. Table 1. Key functions of ectomycorrhizal, endomycorrhizal, saprouophic, parasitic and lichenized macrofungi. ECOLOGICAL/FUNCTIONAL. GROUPS OF FUNa SaDrotwzb Mvcorr hial Parasitic J,ichen&j ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS Ecto Endo ‘ 1. Recycle/transport nutrients and water 2. Decomposition of plant biopolymers 3. Link individual hosts 4. Improve condition of soil 5. Prevent infection by root pathogens 6. Elemental release and mineralization 7. Elemental storage and immobilization 8. Accumulation of toxic materials 9. Synthesis of humic materials 10. Regulation of successional trajectory and velocity 11. Regulation of photosynthesis 12. Regulation of population densities S. L. Miller--Eastside Ecosystem Management Project--4 Key environmental factors determining occurrence of each functional group An overview of the key environmental factors that affect t.he distribution and occurrence of each ecological/ functional group listed above is provided in Table 2.. Table 2. Key environmental factors that determine occurrence of ectomycorrhizal, endomycorrhizal, saprouophic, parasitic and lichenized macrofungi. ECOLOGICAL/FUNCTIONAL GROUPS OF FUNGI nrotronhil: JVlvcorrhiaI Par- Licm ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS Endo 1. Presence of host/ substrate d d 4’ 4 4 2. Age of host/substrate 4 4 4 4 4 3. Condition of host/substrate 4 4 4 4 4 4. Condition of soil 4 4 4. 4 4 5. Moisture 4 4 4 4 4 6. Temperature 4 4 4 4 4 Several criteria can be used for designating particular species for special concern. These are listed below: 1. a species, which is taxonomically discrete, has been collected or observed sufficiently in a particular area by knowledgeable individuals over a sufficient period of time and has been found to occur in&quently in that area. 2. a species, which is taxonomically discrete, has not been collected or observed sufficiently in a particular area by knowledgeable individuals over a sufficient period of time but is suspected to occur infrequently in that area. 3. a species has been found to be of major importance ecologically (ie. keystone species, indicator species) and which also may occur in a habitat that is itself in danger. 4. a species has been found to provide other value and which also may occur in a habitat that is itself in danger. 5. a species that is or appears to be disjunct from populations outside of the area under consideration and which occurs elsewhere in habitats that are in danger (ie. a bioreservoir for possible use during restoration of particular habitats). Table 3 is a list of major macrofungal species that occur within the boundaries of the EEMP compiled from a variety of sources. Table 4 is a list of species of special concern which should be assessed individually. S. L. IMiller--Eastside Ecosystem LManagement Project--5 Specific issues for analysis in the Eastside Assessment process Two interrelated issues should be critically examined during the EEMP Asses?:- lent process. Both stem from the fact that occurrence and diversity of macrofungal populr;- ;ns is directly related to host occurrence and ecosystem health. The ecological importance of macrofungi is abundantly clear. Ln addition, recent conservative estimates hold that only 5- 10’-. of an estimated 1.5 million species of fungi have been described. Therefore, ec;;::.fstem managers should be aware that not only’are fungi that are known to science important to any future management plans, but the fungi which undoubtedly occur in the management area but have not even described yet should be considered. The task of accumulating sufficient mycological information in the near future to be helpful in formulating predictions on community stability is daunting. At this point, so little is lmown regarding macrofungi (see discussion below) that it is not possible or practical to manage for individtiai species of fungi. The only alternative, poor though it may be, is to manage for the habitats where these fungi, and many other potentially undescribed taxi, are likely to occur . This will buy time so that we may increase studies of the ecology and taxonomy of the fungi which occur in those habitats. This dictates that we be conscious of habitats that are disappearing for whatever reason and that we manage for a contiual div- -;ity of habitats. The Eastside Management Team should carefully consider habitat loss, destruction and change, as well as maintenance of diverse habitats, in ttieir actions. Areas of unknown information A multitude of texts have appeared recently on the topic of biodiversity and th. severe consequences shouid the diversity of organisms in any given ecosystem not be maintained. While many of the principles and discussions of broader issues raised in : se works are relevant to most organisms, most lack any substantive content on fungi. This has far-reaching implications not only for the lack of information on fungi, but more importantly for the loss of information regarding how fungi interact with other organis:.“- and function within the ecosystem. It is not enough to document the existence of individual species of fungi We also need to know a great deal more about fungal funcLon and community structure. Retrospectively, mycologists have had a difficult time keeping pace with other taxonomic disciplines in accomplishing