Macrofungi in Urban and Rural Forests Jordan Leis, Trinity Ronk-Degraffenreid, and Nancy Broshot Linfield University Environmental Studies Introduction Results Research in 1993, 2003, and 2013 showed high rates of tree mortality and low rates of recruitment (new trees) in Portland, Oregon’s Forest Park and the Ancient Forest Preserve (Figure Table 1. Fungi identified at sites by us and 1). To determine if the lack of young trees was an urban iNaturalist phenomenon, we added three control sites in the Mount Hood Linfields iNaturalist C National Forest above Portland’s air pollution plume in 2013 May - Aug 2020 Jan - Dec 2020 (Figure 2). The lack of recruitment has been noted in many A Agaricus Agaricus urban forests. We believe it is related to changes in the soil. In Agrocybe Agrocybe Alnicola Amanita 2019, we found the depth of O horizon and the soil respiration B rate were significantly greater at sites in the National Forest Amanita Armillaria than at other locations. One hypothesis for the lack of Bolbitius Astraeus Clavulina / Ramaria Boletaceae recruitment is a loss of mycorrhizal fungi in more urban areas Clitocyboid Cantharellus due to nitrogenous deposition. Last summer, we surveyed the D Collybioid Cantharellus forests in Forest Park and near control sites for macrofungi. All Figure 3. Mean number of fungi in different Figure 4. Mean percent mycorrhizal fungi in Conocybe Clavaria different areas (p= 0.0530 ns) fungi were identified to the most specific taxa, and noted the areas (p= 0.1481 ns) Coprinellus Clavulina / Ramaria E nearest substrate (e.g., log or soil), and the nearest vascular Coprinopsis Clitocyboid plant species. We compared the fungi we identified to those Coprinus Collybioid Cortinarius Conocybe reported as mycorrhizal. We used iNaturalist to incorporate F Crepidotus Coprinellus citizen science and do an informal comparison of trends in fungi A) Chlorophyllum olivieri;B) Gymnopus dryphilus; C) Stropharia Dacrymycetes Coprinopsis ambigua; D) Hygrocybe flavescens; E) Lactarius deliciousus var. we were finding in the summer months (June-August) to trends Entoloma Coprinus over the course of a year. olivaceosordidus and Cortinarius aurantiobasis; F) Pluteus exilis G Galerina Cortinarius Gomphidiaceae Crepidotus Methods Gymnopilus Dacrymyces • Walked to and along each transect at each site Hygrophoraceae Galerina • Collected samples of macrofungi we found that were Inocybe Gomphus / Turbinellus H Lepiota Gymnopilus unknown, but counted every fruiting body Figure 5. % of saprobic, ectomycorrhizal, and parasitic Lycoperdon Gyromitra/ Helvella • Noted the substrate (e.g., log, soil, duff) the mushroom was fungi at sites Mycena Hericium I growing on Omphalinoid Hygrophoraceae • Noted the identity of nearby trees, shrubs, and herbs Panaeolus Hypomyces • Measured the soil moisture, temperature, and ECP when Peziza Inocybe specimens were growing in soil J Phaeocollybia Laccaria • Identified unknown mushrooms using spore prints, G) Coprinopsis atramentaria; H) Psuedohydnum Phellodon Lactarius gelatinosum; I) Cortinarius mucosus; J) Ramaria Pholiota Lepiota dichotomous keys, and community websites stricta Pleurotus Lichenomphalia • Checked the literature for which mushrooms were reported Polyporus Lycoperdon iNaturalist Site for the Study to be mycorrhizal Results Summary Psathyrella Morchella/ Verpa • We found more mushrooms per site in Pseudohydnum Mycena the old growth and National Forest Russula Omphalinoid areas than in Forest Park (Fig. 3) Simocybe Panaeolus • We found the greatest percent Strophariaceae Peziza Thelephora Pholiota mycorrhizal mushrooms in the National Tubaria Pluteus Forest (Fig. 4) Xerocomellus Polyporus • Most of the fungi were saprophytic (Fig. Psathyrella 5) Russula • None of these findings were significant, Strophariaceae however we had low sample size and Suillus only three months of data collection Thelephora • Exploratory data from iNaturalist Tubaria Xerocomellus showed similar trends in diversity of Xylaria species Conclusions Although none of our results were significant, we did see a tendency for the greatest number of mushrooms and the greatest percent of mycorrhizal fungi to be in the National Forest (at the sites furthest from urban air pollution). We intend to continue the study this coming summer to increase out sample size and compare our mushroom results to soil chemistry data from 2019. Acknowledgements This study was funded through a grant from Linfield University (SFCRG) with additional assistance from Portland Parks and Recreation and the Forest Park Conservancy. Figure 1. Map showing the locations of the permanent research plots in Forest Park and the Figure 2. Map showing the location of the control sites above Estacada in the Mount Hood Old Growth (Ancient Forest Preserve). Permanent research plots are green; baby tree test National Forest relative to Forest Park. Permanent research plots are green; baby tree test sites sites are red. are red..