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Abstract Detail



Mycological Section

Lodge, D. Jean [1], Cantrell, Sharon A. [2], Stankavich, Sarag [3], Shaffer, Angela [3], Stock, Michael [4], Colón Hernández, Vanessa [5].

Simulated hurricane treatment reduces basidiomycete litter mat cover in subtropical wet forest.

The main effect of hurricanes, the transfer of leaves and branches from the canopy to the forest floor, was simulated by canopy trimming in 30 x 30 m plots in subtropical wet forest of Puerto Rico. Comparisons were made to unmanipulated control plots within each of three replicate blocks. Treatments were applied in a randomized complete block design. The extent of litter matted together by basidiomycete (white-rot) fungi was assessed along four 5-m transect lines within each of three 5 x 5 m subplots per plot before and after the trimming treatment. Mean percent leaf mat cover was calculated per plot and treatments were compared within blocks using 2-sample 2-tailed t-tests. All but one pre-treatment comparison showed no significant differences in leaf litter mat cover between the hurricane treatment & control plots within blocks, and there were no significant pre-treatment differences between treatments immediately prior to the trimming and debris addition. All three blocks showed a significant (P < 0.0001) difference between the hurricane treatment and control plot in March, 3-4 months after trimming. In March, % cover by basidiomycete-bound litter mats was 25-43% in the control plots but only 2-8% in the hurricane treatment plots. Loss of litter mat cover and changes in decomposer functional group dominance from basidiomycete fungi that degrade lignin (white-rot) to microfungi that cause other types of rot is expected to alter decay products and hence soil microbial communities and their enzymes in the simulated hurricane plots relative to the control plots.


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1 - Center for Forest Mycology Research, PO Box 1377, Luquillo, PR, 00773-1377, USA
2 - Universidad del Turabo, Departamento de Biología, PO Box 3030, Gurabo, PR, 00778-3030
3 - Univ. of Puerto Rico - Río Piedras, Dept. of Environmental Sciences - ITES, El Verde Field Station, Rt 186, El Yunque National Forest, Rio Grande, PR, 00745, USA
4 - McClure Junior High School, 8th Grade Science Teacher & 8th Grade Team Leader, Western Springs, IL, 60558, USA
5 - Interamerican Univ. Fajardo, Jardines I, Calle F18, Ceiba, PR, 00735, USA

Keywords:
White rot wood decay fungi
hurricane damage
Leaf litter
Sequestered carbon.

Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Sections
Session: P
Location: Hall D/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Monday, July 27th, 2015
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PMY047
Abstract ID:477
Candidate for Awards:None


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