Species- and genus-level patterns in elemental accumulation of forest mushrooms

Fungal species are known to shape the elemental composition of their fruiting bodies, but the extent to which broader taxonomic ranks show consistent patterns remains uncertain. We analyzed 19 ectomycorrhizal mushroom species belonging to four genera (Amanita, Cortinarius, Lactarius, and Russula) and the soils beneath their fruiting bodies (174 paired samples) collected in a mixed forest in central-western Poland. Concentration of 18 elements, grouped as major essential elements (MEEs), essential trace elements (ETEs), and trace elements with detrimental health effects (TEWDHE), were determined in both matrices. Species within the same genus often shared partially similar multielement profiles, yet each species retained a distinct accumulation pattern. On average, Amanita species contained the highest levels of MEEs and many ETEs, whereas some Lactarius species were particularly enriched in As, Cd, and Hg. Multielement heatmaps indicated that genus-associated patterns emerged against a background of considerable within-genus and between-site variability driven by soil properties and mycorrhizal partners. For the four (out of six) edible species assessed (A. fulva, A. rubescens, C. caperatus, and L.delicious), estimated daily intake and target hazard quotient values for As and Cd approached or exceeded unity, indicating potential non-carcinogenic health risk under frequent consumption scenarios. Overall, our results show that genus can be a useful proxy for predicting elemental accumulation in forest mushrooms, but the observed patterns should be interpreted as associations shaped by shared traits and the local environments rather than deterministic taxonomic effects. Broader, multi-regional datasets are still needed to test how general these patterns are.