Foliar fungi of Betula pendula: impact of tree species mixtures and assessment methods.

ABSTRACT: Foliar fungi of silver birch (Betula pendula) in an experimental Finnish forest were investigated across a gradient of tree species richness using molecular high-throughput sequencing and visual macroscopic assessment. We hypothesized that the molecular approach detects more fungal taxa than visual assessment, and that there is a relationship among the most common fungal taxa detected by both techniques. Furthermore, we hypothesized that the fungal community composition, diversity, and distribution patterns are affected by changes in tree diversity. Sequencing revealed greater diversity of fungi on birch leaves than the visual assessment method. One species showed a linear relationship between the methods. Species-specific variation in fungal community composition could be partially explai

SUBMITTER: Nguyen D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5288799 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature