The importance of conifer plantations in northern Britain as a habitat for native fungi

Abstract Macrofungal assemblages of Sitka spruce and Scots pine plantations in northern Britain were compared to those of semi-natural pine and oak woodlands, with a focus on threatened pinewood taxa. Fungal species-richness and species-composition were related to climate, soil, vegetation and stand variables across a range of crop stages. Altogether, 419 species were recorded (12 parasites, 76 wood saprotrophs, 174 mycorrhizal species, 157 litter saprotrophs). There were no differences in fungal species-richness between plantations and semi-natural woodlands nor any effects of crop species age or type. Significant positive correlations were recorded between fungal species-richness and ground vegetation diversity, and between wood saprotroph-richness and fallen deadwood volume. Each crop species type had a distinctive mycota related to differences in climate, tree and vegetation diversity. Over-mature stands had a higher proportion of “late-successional” mycorrhizal species than the other growth stages. Nineteen Red Data list fungi species were recorded; plots nearer to semi-natural pinewood areas had a higher number of species records. These results highlight the importance of planted forests as a habitat for native fungi. Habitat value could be further enhanced through increasing the area of “old-growth” non-intervention reserves, and locating these reserves near existing semi-natural woodland fragments.