Fungi in Forest Soil and their Environmental Importance

Baldrian P.

Forest soils are characterized by their specific structure which is the result of the accumulation of plant remains on their surface, which has been gradually transformed into humus. Another typical feature of forest soils is the high content of microorganism biomass, especially of fungi, which prevail over bacteria in the upper layers. While saprophyte Basidiomycota can decompose all bio-polymers in the litter, such as celulose, hemi-celulose and lignin, ecto-mycorrhizal Basidiomycota obtain carbon substances from their host organisms, with which they live in symbiosis. The majority of Ascomycota use exclusively simple organic substances. In broadleaf forests where Quercus petrea is a dominant tree, the content of Ascomycota decreases, whereas the number of ecto-mycorrhizal species increases with soil depth. In conifer forests saprophyte fungi species prevail in upper soil layers, while mycorrhizal fungi live mainly in lower soil layers.

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