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Metabarcoding Reveals Rich and Diverse Aeromycobiota in Protected Oak Forests
Vaidotas Lygis1, Adas Marčiulynas2, Teodora Plepytė1
1State Scientific Research Institute Nature Research Centre, Akademijos str. 2, Vilnius, LT- 08412, Lithuania.
Microbial Ecology
|March 4, 2026
Summary
Airborne fungal diversity in European old-growth oak forests was explored using DNA metabarcoding. The study revealed a rich fungal community, with distinct patterns across forest stands, highlighting the method
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Mycology
- Forest Science
Background:
- Old-growth oak (Quercus robur) forests are vital biodiversity hotspots in Europe.
- The airborne fungal diversity (aeromycobiota) within these unique ecosystems remains largely uncharacterized.
- Understanding aeromycobiota is crucial for assessing forest health and ecological dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and characterize the airborne fungal diversity in three Lithuanian old-growth oak forest stands.
- To assess the spatial and temporal variations in aeromycobiota composition.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of passive spore traps combined with DNA metabarcoding for fungal biodiversity assessment.
Main Methods:
- Utilized passive spore traps for weekly sampling of airborne fungi over August-September 2022.
- Employed DNA metabarcoding to analyze 75 spore samples, generating over 262,000 fungal sequences.
- Clustered sequences into 1,881 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) representing six phyla and 36 classes.
Main Results:
- Identified a rich fungal community dominated by Ascomycota and Basidiomycota.
- Observed a core airborne fungal assemblage shared across stands, with significant stand-specific variations in richness and abundance.
- Punia stand exhibited the highest fungal richness and the most unique OTUs; temporal variation was moderate compared to spatial differences.
Conclusions:
- Passive spore traps coupled with DNA metabarcoding effectively capture high fungal diversity and community patterns in old-growth oak forests.
- This study provides the first comprehensive characterization of aeromycobiota in Northern European old-growth Quercus robur forests.
- Airborne metabarcoding is a valuable tool for fungal biodiversity assessment and long-term forest monitoring.
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