Influence of spatio-temporal resource availability on mushroom mite diversity

Although biodiversity in nature is of fundamental importance because it improves the sustainability of ecosystems, communities of microscopic organisms are generally excluded from conservation targets for biodiversity. Here, I hypothesize that mushroom mite species richness is correlated with both spatial (i.e., mushroom size) and temporal (i.e., longevity of fruiting bodies) resource availability. I collected fruiting bodies in an old-growth forest over 4 years to collect mites and insects inhabiting the mushrooms. Mites were collected from 47 % of the fruiting bodies and approximately 60 % of the mite species were collected only once. Mite species richness was significantly correlated with the availability of long-lasting fruiting bodies. For example, bracket fungi contained more mite species than ephemeral fruiting bodies. Insect presence was also correlated with mushroom mite richness, probably as phoretic hosts and food resources for predacious mites. On the other hand, mushroom size seemed to be less important; small fruiting bodies sometimes harbored several mite species. Although mite species richness was correlated with mushroom species richness, mushroom specificity by mites was not clear except for a preference for long-lasting fruiting bodies. Therefore, I suggest that a constant supply of coarse woody debris is crucial for maintaining preferred resources for mushroom mites (e.g., bracket fungi) and their associated insects (mycophilous and possibly saproxylic insects).     

Food web structure of the fungivorous insect community on bracket fungi in a Bornean tropical rain forest

1. If fungivorous insect diversity is maintained by host specialisation on particular fungi, it should be higher in the tropics than in temperate or boreal regions owing to high macrofungus species diversity. 2. To reveal the community and food web structure of fungivorous insects on bracket fungi, fungivorous insects were collected from 427 fruiting bodies belonging to 22 genera throughout the development and deterioration process in a 3‐ha plot of lowland dipterocarp tropical rain forest on Borneo Island. 3. Eight hundred and twenty‐nine individuals of 82 coleopteran species in 13 families from 111 fruiting bodies of 15 fungal genera were collected. Tenebrionidae and Staphylinidae were most common. Fifty‐three and 19 insect species were observed on Ganoderma and Phellinus, respectively. The numbers of insect species and individuals on a particular fungal genus were positively correlated with the abundance of that fungal genus. 4. Quantitative food web analysis revealed a high degree of specialisation at the whole‐community level. At least 65% of insect individuals were observed on Ganoderma at every stage of development and deterioration. Diverse insects coexist on one dominant fungal genus, Ganoderma, in contrast to our hypothesis. 5. The high abundance of Ganoderma fruiting bodies, which lack obvious defences against insect feeding, probably influences the bracket fungus–insect food web in this tropical rainforest.     

Mite communities (Acari: Mesostigmata,Oribatida) in the red belt conk,Fomitopsis pinicola (Polyporales), in Polish forests

Experimental and Applied Acarology - The fruiting bodies of bracket fungi are a specific microhabitat colonized by various invertebrates of which mites (Acari) are rarely studied, and if they are,...     

Host selection patterns in insects breeding in bracket fungi

Abstract.  1. Fungivorous insects are generally viewed as polyphagous, largely because most fungal fruiting bodies constitute an unpredictable resource. To examine the validity of this hypothesis, and degree of phylogenetic relatedness between the preferred hosts of the insects, host selection in the insect fauna of bracket fungi was studied, using data obtained both from the field and the literature.
2. More than half (53%) of the insect species breeding in them appeared to be monophagous.
3. Modern phylogenies explained the host selection patterns better than older classifications, since non-monophagous species of beetles frequently used hosts that are closely related to each other.
4. The hypothesis that polyphagous species use more heavily decayed fruiting bodies than monophagous species was verified for insects breeding in Fomes fomentarius . The results indicate that the chemical composition of the fungi influences host selection.
5. It is suggested that fruiting bodies of bracket fungi differ from most other fungi in that their occurrence is more predictable. Therefore, the primary colonising fungivores generally attack only one host species, or a few hosts that are closely phylogenetically related. Polyphagous species generally colonise fruiting bodies after they have reached a certain stage of decay, thus escaping their chemical defence.     

Unseen fungal biodiversity and complex inter-organismal interactions in Protea flower heads

A unique microbiome occurs within the flower heads of various Protea species endemic to Africa. These include two lineages of ophiostomatoid fungi, Knoxdaviesia (Microascales) and Sporothrix (Ophiostomatales), that have members occurring exclusively in this environment and that rely on mites as their primary mode of spore dissemination. The mites, in turn, attach to the bodies of Protea-pollinating beetles and the beaks and bodies of birds for long-distance movement, establishing a hierarchical dispersal network for the ophiostomatoid fungi. This inter-organismal network is highly successful, achieving fungal dispersal over vast distances. Multiple species of fungi, mites and bacteria have been described from this unique niche over the past four decades. The intricacies of their symbiotic interactions continue to be unravelled. This review covers all current knowledge of the “distinctly African” Protea-ophiostomatoid fungus environment and illustrates the depth of a fascinating unseen fungal biodiversity niche.     

“Jack‐of‐all‐trades” is parthenogenetic

Sex is evolutionarily more costly than parthenogenesis, evolutionary ecologists therefore wonder why sex is much more frequent than parthenogenesis in the majority of animal lineages. Intriguingly, parthenogenetic individuals and species are as common as or even more common than sexuals in some major and putative ancient animal lineages such as oribatid mites and rotifers. Here, we analyzed oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) as a model group because these mites are ancient (early Paleozoic), widely distributed around the globe, and include a high number of parthenogenetic species, which often co‐exist with sexual oribatid mite species. There is evidence that the reproductive mode is phylogenetically conserved in oribatid mites, which makes them an ideal model to test hypotheses on the relationship between reproductive mode and species'' ecological strategies. We used oribatid mites to test the frozen niche variation hypothesis; we hypothesized that parthenogenetic oribatid mites occupy narrow specialized ecological niches. We used the geographic range of species as a proxy for specialization as specialized species typically do have narrower geographic ranges than generalistic species. After correcting for phylogenetic signal in reproductive mode and demonstrating that geographic range size has no phylogenetic signal, we found that parthenogenetic lineages have a higher probability to have broader geographic ranges than sexual species arguing against the frozen niche variation hypothesis. Rather, the results suggest that parthenogenetic oribatid mite species are more generalistic than sexual species supporting the general‐purpose genotype hypothesis. The reason why parthenogenetic oribatid mite species are generalists with wide geographic range sizes might be that they are of ancient origin reflecting that they adapted to varying environmental conditions during evolutionary history. Overall, our findings indicate that parthenogenetic oribatid mite species possess a widely adapted general‐purpose genotype and therefore might be viewed as “Jack‐of‐all‐trades.”     

Preservation affects the vegetative growth and fruiting body production of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cordyceps militaris</Emphasis>

Cordyceps militaris is a model species of Cordyceps fungi, and has been traditionally used as an edible and medicinal fungus due to its richness of bioactive and pharmacological metabolites. The fruiting bodies of this fungus are widely used as healthy food and nutrition supply. In industrial production, fruiting bodies are cultivated on artificial media, but their yield and quality are usually affected by the quality of fungal strains. In this study, the effect of colony growth rate of the fungal strains, fungal age and repeated subculturing on the fungal biomass accumulation was investigated. The results indicated that the fungal biomass was positively correlated with the colony growth rate and not affected by fungal age and the repeated subculturing. The preservation conditions for stock cultures, including choice of cultures, lyophilization, temperature and protective agents were optimized based on the mycelial formation and conidia production in artificial inoculum. The development of fruiting bodies from the fungal strains stored under the optimized preservation conditions were further analyzed to determine the ideal time period of preservation. Results indicated that storing the fungus at 4 °C could maintain the fungal vitality and fruiting body producing capacity for at least 12 months. This study established practical criteria of fungal inoculum for artificial cultivation of fruiting body and provided a simple and efficient preservation method for C. militaris. The results may shed light on preservation for other Cordyceps species and other edible fungi.     

An ant-associated mesostigmatid mite in Baltic amber

Fossil mesostigmatid mites (Acari: Parasitiformes: Mesostigmata) are extremely rare, and specimens from only nine families, including four named species, have been described so far. A new record of Myrmozercon sp. described here from Eocene (ca 44–49 Myr) Baltic amber represents the first—and so far only—fossil example of the derived, extant family Laelapidae. Significantly, modern species of this genus are habitually myrmecophilous and the fossil mite described here is preserved attached to the head of the dolichoderine ant Ctenobethylus goepperti (Mayr, 1868). It thus offers the oldest unequivocal evidence for an ecological association between mesostigmatid mites and social insects in the order Hymenoptera.     

Modeling mycorrhizal fungi dispersal by the mycophagous swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor)

Despite the importance of mammal‐fungal interactions, tools to estimate the mammal‐assisted dispersal distances of fungi are lacking. Many mammals actively consume fungal fruiting bodies, the spores of which remain viable after passage through their digestive tract. Many of these fungi form symbiotic relationships with trees and provide an array of other key ecosystem functions. We present a flexible, general model to predict the distance a mycophagous mammal would disperse fungal spores. We modeled the probability of spore dispersal by combining animal movement data from GPS telemetry with data on spore gut‐retention time. We test this model using an exemplar generalist mycophagist, the swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor). We show that swamp wallabies disperse fungal spores hundreds of meters—and occasionally up to 1,265 m—from the point of consumption, distances that are ecologically significant for many mycorrhizal fungi. In addition to highlighting the ecological importance of swamp wallabies as dispersers of mycorrhizal fungi in eastern Australia, our simple modeling approach provides a novel and effective way of empirically describing spore dispersal by a mycophagous animal. This approach is applicable to the study of other animal‐fungi interactions in other ecosystems.     

Identification of mycobionts in an achlorophyllous orchid,Cremastra aphylla (Orchidaceae), based on molecular analysis and basidioma morphology

Mycorrhizal fungi were isolated and cultured from rhizomes of mycoheterotrophic Cremastra aphylla (Orchidaceae) plants collected in 3 sites across Japan. In total, 5 Cr. aphylla individuals were collected, and 10 fungal isolates were obtained. Sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA from the fungal samples revealed that all isolates belonged to the genus Coprinellus in the family Psathyrellaceae. All isolates from each site were of the same phylotype. In total, 3 ITS phylotypes were detected. One of the isolates produced fruiting bodies and was identified as Co. domesticus on the basis of macro- and microscopic characteristics of the basidiomata and ITS sequence data. In this study, the sharing of saprobic Psathyrellaceae fungus by the mycoheterotrophic and leafy Cremastra species was newly confirmed.     

Trypsin-Like Proteinases and Trypsin Inhibitors in Fruiting Bodies of Higher Fungi

The activity of trypsin-like proteinases and trypsin inhibitors was measured in fruiting bodies of various species of basidial fungi (Basidiomycetes). Fruiting bodies of all fungi contained these enzymes, with the exceptions of polypore (Coriolus versicolor (Fr.) Karst) and hedgehog fungus (Hericium erinaceus (Fr.) Quel), belonging to the families Polyporaceae and Hericiaceae, respectively, in which the enzyme activities were barely detectable. The activity of trypsin-like proteinases was the highest in fruiting bodies of Boletaceae and Agaricaceae. Fruiting bodies of all fungi contained trypsin inhibitors. The highest activity of trypsin inhibitors was detected in basidiomycetes of the families Boletaceae, Agaricaceae, and Pleurotaceae, including Boletus castanus (Fr.) Karst, orange-cap boletus (Leccinum aurantiacum (Fr.) Sing), and brown-cap boletus (Leccinum melanum (Fr.) Karst).     

Multiple convergent evolution of arboreal life in oribatid mites indicates the primacy of ecology

Frequent convergent evolution in phylogenetically unrelated taxa points to the importance of ecological factors during evolution, whereas convergent evolution in closely related taxa indicates the importance of favourable pre-existing characters (pre-adaptations). We investigated the transitions to arboreal life in oribatid mites (Oribatida, Acari), a group of mostly soil-living arthropods. We evaluated which general force—ecological factors, historical constraints or chance—was dominant in the evolution of arboreal life in oribatid mites. A phylogenetic study of 51 oribatid mite species and four outgroup taxa, using the ribosomal 18S rDNA region, indicates that arboreal life evolved at least 15 times independently. Arboreal oribatid mite species are not randomly distributed in the phylogenetic tree, but are concentrated among strongly sclerotized, sexual and evolutionary younger taxa. They convergently evolved a capitate sensillus, an anemoreceptor that either precludes overstimulation in the exposed bark habitat or functions as a gravity receptor. Sexual reproduction and strong sclerotization were important pre-adaptations for colonizing the bark of trees that facilitated the exploitation of living resources (e.g. lichens) and served as predator defence, respectively. Overall, our results indicate that ecological factors are most important for the observed pattern of convergent evolution of arboreal life in oribatid mites, supporting an adaptationist view of evolution.     

The Role of the Microbiome of Truffles in Aroma Formation: a Meta-Analysis Approach

Truffles (Tuber spp.) are ascomycete subterraneous fungi that form ectomycorrhizas in a symbiotic relationship with plant roots. Their fruiting bodies are appreciated for their distinctive aroma, which might be partially derived from microbes. Indeed, truffle fruiting bodies are colonized by a diverse microbial community made up of bacteria, yeasts, guest filamentous fungi, and viruses. The aim of this minireview is two-fold. First, the current knowledge on the microbial community composition of truffles has been synthesized to highlight similarities and differences among four truffle (Tuber) species (T. magnatum, T. melanosporum, T. aestivum, and T. borchii) at various stages of their life cycle. Second, the potential role of the microbiome in truffle aroma formation has been addressed for the same four species. Our results suggest that on one hand, odorants, which are common to many truffle species, might be of mixed truffle and microbial origin, while on the other hand, less common odorants might be derived from microbes only. They also highlight that bacteria, the dominant group in the microbiome of the truffle, might also be the most important contributors to truffle aroma not only in T. borchii, as already demonstrated, but also in T. magnatum, T. aestivum, and T. melanosporum.     

Influences of environmental factors on fruiting body induction,development and maturation in mushroom-forming fungi

Mushroom-forming fungi (restricted to basidiomycetous fungi in this review) differentiate by sensing several environmental factors for fruiting body formation. For fruiting body induction, nutrient, temperature and light conditions are critical environmental factors. Higher nitrogen and carbon sources in the media will suppress fruiting body induction in many mushroom-forming fungi, with induction being triggered by lower nitrogen and carbon concentrations. Low temperature or temperature downshift is another critical influencing factor for fruiting body induction in many cultivated mushrooms, such as Flammulina velutipes, Lentinula edodes, and Volvariella volvacea. Fungal response toward starvation and cold involves the production of sexual spores as the next generation. Species like F. velutipes and Coprinopsis cinerea can form fruiting bodies in the dark; however, light accelerates fruiting body induction in some mushroom-forming fungi. Remarkably, fruiting bodies formed in the dark have tiny or no pileus on heads (called dark stipe, pinhead fruiting body, or etiolated stipe). Light is essential for pileus differentiation in many, but not all mushroom species; one exception is Agaricus bisporus. Mushrooms have positive phototropism and negative gravitropism for effective dispersal of spores. Carbon dioxide concentrations also affect fruiting body development; pileus differentiation is suppressed at a high concentration of carbon dioxide. Thus, the pileus differentiation system of mushrooms may allow the most effective diffusion of spores. Full expansion of the pileus is followed by pileus autolysis or senescence. In C. cinerea, pileus autolysis occurs during spore diffusion. Fruiting body senescence, browning of gill, and softening occur after harvesting in several mushroom species. Fruiting body induction, development, and maturation in mushroom-forming fungi are discussed in this review.     

Fruiting body and soil rDNA sampling detects complementary assemblage of Agaricomycotina (Basidiomycota, Fungi) in a hemlock-dominated forest plot in southern Ontario

This is the first study to assess the diversity and community structure of the Agaricomycotina in an ectotrophic forest using above-ground fruiting body surveys as well as soil rDNA sampling. We recovered 132 molecular operational taxonomic units, or 'species', from fruiting bodies and 66 from soil, with little overlap. Fruiting body sampling primarily recovered fungi from the Agaricales, Russulales, Boletales and Cantharellales. Many of these species are ectomycorrhizal and form large fruiting bodies. Soil rDNA sampling recovered fungi from these groups in addition to taxa overlooked during the fruiting body survey from the Atheliales, Trechisporales and Sebacinales. Species from these groups form inconspicuous, resupinate and corticioid fruiting bodies. Soil sampling also detected fungi from the Hysterangiales that form fruiting bodies underground. Generally, fruiting body and soil rDNA samples recover a largely different assemblage of fungi at the species level; however, both methods identify the same dominant fungi at the genus-order level and ectomycorrhizal fungi as the prevailing type. Richness, abundance, and phylogenetic diversity (PD) identify the Agaricales as the dominant fungal group above- and below-ground; however, we find that molecularly highly divergent lineages may account for a greater proportion of total diversity using the PD measure compared with richness and abundance. Unless an exhaustive inventory is required, the rapidity and versatility of DNA-based sampling may be sufficient for a first assessment of the dominant taxonomic and ecological groups of fungi in forest soil.     

Modelling mating success of saproxylic beetles in relation to search behaviour, population density and substrate abundance

We compared the efficiency of two mate-finding strategies exploited by representatives of the beetle families Cisidae and Anobiidae (genus Dorcatoma) that live inside fruiting bodies of wood-decaying fungi. In the Cisidae both sexes are attracted to host odour, but no pheromones seem to be present (nonpheromone strategy). In the Dorcatoma species only the females are attracted to host odour, but having found a host they attract males with a sexual pheromone (pheromone strategy). With a simulation model, we compared the efficiency of the two strategies at four densities of trees hosting fungal fruiting bodies and at three relative densities of insects. We found only small differences in efficiency between the two strategies at high relative densities of conspecific individuals, regardless of host tree density. The pheromone strategy was relatively more efficient when the relative density of insects or the density of host trees decreased. Thus, species adopting the nonpheromone strategy are probably more sensitive to habitat fragmentation and more likely to decline and go extinct at low population densities (because of Allee effects) than species using the pheromone strategy. Copyright 2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.      

Population Dynamics of Meloidogyne chitwoodi on Russet Burbank Potatoes in Relation to Degree-day Accumulation

Population dynamics of Meloidogyne chitwoodi were studied for 2 years in a commercial potato field and microplots. Annual second-stage juvenile (J2) densities peaked at harvest in mid-fall, declined through the winter, and were lowest in early summer. In the field and in one microplot study, population increase displayed trimodal patterns during the 1984 and 1985 seasons. Overwintering nematodes produced egg masses on roots by 600-800 degree-days base 5 C (DD₅) after planting. Second-generation and third-generation eggs hatched by 950-1,100 DD₅ and 1,500-1,600 DD₅, respectively, and J2 densities rapidly increased in the soil. A fourth generation was observed at 2,150 DD₅ in 1985 microplot studies. Tubers were initiated by 450-500 DD₅, but J2 were not observed in the tubers until after the second generation hatched at 988-1,166 DD₅. A second period of tuber invasion was observed when third generation J2 hatched. The regional variation in M. chitwoodi damage on potato may be explained by degree-day accumulation in different potato production regions of the western United States.     

Species composition and seasonal dynamics of water mites (Hydracarina) in a mountain stream (Steina,Black Forest,southern Germany)

The species composition and seasonal dynamics of water mites were studied in a small softwater stream in southern Germany from October 1986 to November 1988. On average water mites contributed 5.5% by abundance and 1.8% by biomass to the total invertebrate community. Annual densities and biomasses averaged 623–1057 (mean 905) individuals M^–2 and 45.9–75.6 mg (mean 64.0) dry mass m^–2, respectively. 41 species were identified, Torrenticola elliptica (Torrenticolidae) being the most abundant. Nearly every taxon showed a distinct and consistent seasonality, with maximum abundance and biomass in summer and minimum values in winter. Both abundance and biomass of water mites were significantly correlated with water temperature (p < 0.001).