Fungal Community Assembly in Standing Deadwood: Stochastic vs. Deterministic Processes Across Decay Stages.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Mycology
• Forest Science

Background:

• Fungi are crucial for deadwood decomposition.
• The dynamic assembly patterns of fungal communities in decaying wood are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the temporal dynamics of fungal community assembly in deadwood.
• To identify key drivers and biomarkers of fungal community shifts during wood decay.

Main Methods:

• A 'space-for-time' substitution approach was used in a local forest.
• Fungal communities were tracked across different deadwood decay classes (I-IV).
• Random forest analysis was employed to identify biomarkers and model their association with decay stages.

Main Results:

• Fungal diversity increased from decay classes I to III and decreased from III to IV.
• Fungal community assembly in later decay stages (III-IV) was more influenced by stochastic processes.
• Wood chemical properties were identified as a major driver of fungal community assembly and diversity.
• Six key fungal biomarkers associated with specific decay classes were identified.

Conclusions:

• Fungal communities in deadwood exhibit distinct assembly patterns across decay stages.
• Stochasticity plays a greater role in later stages of wood decomposition.
• Understanding these dynamics is crucial for comprehending nutrient cycling and forest ecosystem functions.