Lambir mushroom project

From BiodivBorneo09

Diversity of Basidiomycota between forest gap, partial gap, and closed forest in Lambir Hills National Park

Abstract

Preliminary research on Basidiomycota between the forest gap, partial gap and closed forest in Lambir Hills National Park was conducted to know the differences of species composition and abundance. The data was obtained by random sampling method and examined for the presence of Basidiomycota growing on 31 dead logs. Humidity, temperature, and total area of logs were measured to support the analyses. A general linear model was used to explain the abundance of species, and the results showed that there is a difference in composition and abundance of Basidiomycota between the forest gap, partial gap and closed forest. Species in logs from the forest are closely correlated in one branch of the cluster diagram, and species in logs in the gap differ little with those in the partial gap. From our measurement, forest sites have the highest temperature and humidity, while partial gap sites have the lowest humidity and second highest temperature. Gap species are more abundant and diverse because they are supported by a supply of water.

(See summary of argument)

Introduction

The forests of Borneo show perhaps the greatest systematic diversity of any area in the world, not only for plants but also the fungus kingdom (Pegler, 1997). Fungi play an important role in many aspects of our daily lives and also in the environment. Basidimycota is one of the larger fungi phyla and includes mushrooms, brackets, Jelly fungi and club-fungi. They are often found in dead matter such as trunks and leaves of plants as an important decomposers, and therefore are vital to the ecology of the rain forest. In our project, we conducted preliminary research on Basidiomycota between the forest gap, partial gap, and closed forest in Lambir Hills National Park.

Question

• What is the difference in species composition and abundance of Basidiomycota growing on dead logs between the forest gap, partial gap, and closed forest in Lambir Hills National Park?

The null hypothesis is that there is no difference in composition and abundance of Basidiomycota growing on dead logs between forest gaps, partial gaps and closed forest.

Methods

31 logs along the trails near Lambir Hills National Park Head Quarters were examined for the presence of fruiting bodies of Basidiomycota subject to accessibility to the logs.. We examined 20 total logs along the Latak waterfall and 11 to the Japanese crane. In total, 7 logs in the full gap, 14 in the partial gaps and 10 in closed forest were examined. On each log, we measured total surface area of the log, humidity, and temperature, also taking a number of pictures. We categorized the type of habitat into three types: gap (G), partial gap (PG), and closed forest (F). Fruiting bodies that were difficult to identify were collected for more accurate identification under the microscope.

Analysis

We used the R2.9 statistic package to analyze the data obtained. A general linear model (GLM) was used to explain the effect of habitat types on the abundance of Basiodiomycota on dead logs. We then clustered the logs according to fungi species composition. Habitat types were also plotted by humidity and temperature to show the impact of abiotic factors on species composition and abundance.

Results

[[File:tem.jpg|thumb|]Temperature differences in the three habitat types] Our model shows that types of habitats (p-value < 2e-16), humidity (p-value < 2e-16), and temperature (p-value = 3.05e-06) all significantly affect the abundance of fruiting bodies .

From the cluster diagram, we can see that species on groups from the closed forest are closely correlated in one branch , while species on groups in the gap differ little from those in the partial gap. Regarding the abiotic factors in the three types of habitat, forest sites have the highest temperature and humidity. Partial gap sites have the lowest humidity and second highest temperature.

Discussion

GLM analysis support our hypotheses that Basiodiomycota are more abundant and diverse on decaying logs in the gaps and partial gaps than in the closed forests. This could be explained by:

• decomposing in the closed forests may be more driven by other organisms, such as termites
• fungi have to compete with mosses for substrate to grow
• small sample size (10 logs in the closed forest) and non-standardization of age of the fallen logs can substantially affect our data
• because the occurrence and frequency of fruiting bodies is supported by supply of water (Pegler, 1997), the site with the most abundant fruiting bodies (over 700 fruiting bodies) and most diversity (10 species) was located in the gap beside the river. With small sample size (7 logs in the gap), this may skew our results.

Clustering of species composition between these habitats suggests niche specialization of Basidiomycota. In our research, abiotic factors showed contradictions to general pattern as the forest sites are the hottest among the three habitat types . This could be because we measured most logs in the gaps after the rain.

References

• Pegler, D. N. (1997), The larger fungi of Borneo. Natural History Publications, Kota Kinabalu.