Background 
Fungi strongly influence ecosystem structure and functioning, playing a key role in many ecological services as decomposers, plant mutualists and pathogens. The Mediterranean area is a biodiversity hotspot that is increasingly threatened by intense land use. Therefore, to achieve a balance between conservation and human development, a better understanding of the impact of land use on the underlying fungal communities is needed.


Methodology/Principal Findings 
We used parallel pyrosequencing of the nuclear ribosomal ITS regions to characterize the fungal communities in five soils subjected to different anthropogenic impact in a typical Mediterranean landscape: a natural cork-oak forest, a pasture, a managed meadow, and two vineyards. Marked differences in the distribution of taxon assemblages among the different sites and communities were found. Data analyses consistently indicated a sharp distinction of the fungal community of the cork oak forest soil from those described in the other soils. Each soil showed features of the fungal assemblages retrieved which can be easily related to the above-ground settings: ectomycorrhizal phylotypes were numerous in natural sites covered by trees, but were nearly completely missing from the anthropogenic and grass-covered sites; similarly, coprophilous fungi were common in grazed sites.


Conclusions/Significance 
Data suggest that investigation on the below-ground fungal community may provide useful elements on the above-ground features such as vegetation coverage and agronomic procedures, allowing to assess the cost of anthropogenic land use to hidden diversity in soil. Datasets provided in this study may contribute to future searches for fungal bio-indicators as biodiversity markers of a specific site or a land-use degree.

https://iris.unito.it/bitstream/2318/103214/1/journal.pone.0034847.pdf

Unravelling soil fungal communities from different Mediterranean land-use backgrounds

Summary European forestry strategies place emphasis on developing alternative management practices to clearfelling within commercial forests as a means of increasing the non-market benefi ts of sustainable forestry. In the UK, many thousands of hectares of forest are being transformed to continuous cover forestry and a number of minimum intervention natural reserves are being created to encourage the development of old-growth conditions. This paper defi nes the term ‘old growth’ in the context of upland spruce-dominated plantations in Britain and evaluates different options for the location, design and management of old-growth areas to enhance biodiversity. Evidence outside of Britain from semi-natural analogues of upland spruce plantations suggests that old growth can develop 100–200 years after stand initiation in those parts of the landscape not subject to frequent catastrophic disturbance by wind and fi re. Old-growth stands in these forests are characterized by a high proportion of large, old trees, multiple age classes and high volumes of fallen and standing deadwood. Studies of old spruce stands in the British uplands suggest that old-growth features can begin to develop after 80–100 years, conferring substantial benefi ts to species-groups such as hole-nesting birds, mammals (e.g. red squirrel), bryophytes, lichens and fungi. Based on the likelihood of wind damage it is suggested that ~50 per cent of the current land area in upland Britain could support large patches (50–100+ ha) of old growth. To enhance colonization by woodland species, these old-growth patches should be within 2 km of existing semi-natural woodland, managed ideally on a minimum intervention basis. If production of timber was also an objective, old-growth stands could be managed by single tree selection or small group-fell silviculture, provided that over-prolifi c regeneration of shade-tolerant conifers was controlled and some deadwood and veteran trees were maintained. In surrounding areas subject to normal patch-clearfelling, small enclaves of old-growth forest (0.25–2 ha) could be retained to provide temporary habitat for species and facilitate dispersal through the landscape. The planning and design of old-growth areas needs to be considered at the landscape scale to ensure an appropriate balance between old growth and other types of woodland and nonwoodland habitats. An imaginative approach to incentives will be required to encourage positive management for old growth.

/pdf/benefits-to-biodiversity-from-developing-old-growth-34sklodg9y.pdf

Benefits to biodiversity from developing old-growth conditions in British upland spruce plantations: a review and recommendations

Developing a comprehensive strategy for fungal conservation in Europe: current status and future needs

Lepiotaceous fungi form relatively fragile basidiocarps with white, rarely coloured, spores. Most are saprotrophic forest-floor dwellers that grow in the lower litter layers of the soil, and probably decompose lignin and cellulose. They occur worldwide, with many representatives in tropical and temperate regions, and a few species in arctic-alpine areas and in deserts. Most taxa are agaricoid, though a relatively small number of secotioid variants exist. Because of their relative rarity, the clustering together of many species in limited habitats, and the differences in species composition along latitudinal transects, lepiotaceous fungi may be vulnerable to changes in the environment, both on a local (habitat destruction) and on a global scale (climate change). Sister taxa occur in different parts of the temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere, indicating that vicariance events might have played a role in speciation. A few species have a very extended distribution, and those species occur either in man-made habitats or else in cooler habitats. Many ecological features of the lepiotaceous fungi are unknown, including the survival rates and colonization success of spores, nutrient and temperature requirements, longevity and size of genets. Conservation of existing diversity calls for policies underpinned by new ecological research, more taxonomical studies, and more recording projects.

Ecology and Distribution of Lepiotaceous Fungi (Agaricaceae) - A Review -

Norwegian summer farming has a long history and can be dated back to the Iron Age and even to the Bronze Age. Since the area that can be used for crops is limited in Norway, the pre-industrial agriculture here depended on the resources of outlying land usually above the lowlands. Summer farming was widespread, but there was much variation in the local practices, depending on the local natural conditions. Forest summer farming was common especially in the southeast part of the country and along the coast the islands were used for summer farming. In the mountains summer farms located at different altitudes made it possible to utilize the grazing resources also far from the farm. Many farms had several summer farms with a spring farm near the main farm and one or several summer farms higher up in the mountains. It was common to utilize the summer farms both for hay making and grazing as well as for harvesting of other outfield resources. The distance to the main farm was often too long for transportation of fresh diary products. Instead different milk products were produced at the summer farm, a production demanding large amounts of wood. Many mountain summer farms were therefore situated in the subalpine birch forest where both wood for fuel and alpine pastures were available. The summer farming created an open landscape where the flora from the lowland and the alpine meadows met. Depending on the ecological conditions and types of utilization several different semi-natural vegetation types were developed. They may be identified according to Fremstad (1997) as for example moist poor meadows, Deschampsia cespitosa meadows, Nardus stricta meadows, Potentilla crantzii-Festuca ovina meadows, Trollius europaeus meadows, but also as different dwarf shrub heaths and fens. The golden period of summer farming was in the 19 century. During the 20 century the land use has changed and the number of summer farms has decreased to about 2000. The mountain areas are mostly used for sheep grazing. Due to the decrease in summer farming activities, a large-scale overgrowing and reduced biodiversity are now characterizing the mountain area situation in Norway. 8 I. Austad, A. Norderhaug, L. Hauge & A. Moen

Transhumance and Biodiversity in European Mountains

Status, distribution and definition of mycologically important grasslands in Scotland

Summary Stipitate hydnoid (‘tooth’) fungi are considered to be threatened throughout much of central and northern Europe. In response to concern about the status of these fungi in the UK, a Biodiversity Action Plan has been developed for 14 species in this group. As a first step towards implementation of this plan, a number of surveys have been initiated, to determine the current status and distribution of hydnoid fungi. An overview of the results of these surveys is described. A series of distribution maps are presented, based on a compilation of early records and the results of a recent field survey in Scottish coniferous forests. The difficulties of interpreting early records are discussed, with particular reference to the taxonomie confusion that has surrounded this group of fungi. Although available data provide little evidence for decline of hydnoid fungi, a number of species display very restricted distributions within Scotland. The recent discovery of several species new to Britain emphasises the ...

Progress towards implementing the Biodiversity Action Plan for stipitate hydnoid fungi in Scotland

Status and distribution of stipitate hydnoid fungi in Scottish coniferous forests

Summary In recent years, fungal conservation in Scotland has made substantial progress, particularly as a result of field surveys undertaken in support of the Biodiversity Action Plans developed for selected species. Results are presented from four recent surveys: (i) fungal diversity in conifer plantations, (ii) hydnoid (‘tooth’) fungi in coniferous forests, (iii) grassland fungi, (iv) fungal survey of the Mar Lodge Estate. These surveys have substantially improved knowledge of the conservation status of a number of threatened taxa, and have also provided insights into patterns of fungal diversity at a range of scales. The results indicate that some of the fungal communities of Scotland, such as those associated with unimproved grasslands, are of international conservation importance. The implications of the survey results for conservation management are discussed, and suggestions are made regarding priorities for future work. In particular, there is a need to provide conservation managers with guidance ...

L.M. Davy

Papers

Status, distribution and definition of mycologically important grasslands in Scotland

Progress towards implementing the Biodiversity Action Plan for stipitate hydnoid fungi in Scotland

Status and distribution of stipitate hydnoid fungi in Scottish coniferous forests

Fungal conservation in Scotland: Recent progress and future priorities