Home – Home – Jornals – Contemporary Problems of Ecology 2018 number 5

The influence of the degree of decomposition and acidity of wood, as well as the illumination of the micro-habitat on the species composition, abundance and occurrence of Myxomycetes of xylobiontic (inhabitants of the wood) substrate complex of forest communities in Siberia (Altai kray, Altai Republic, Novosibirsk Region). The work is based on the study of 1777 samples of fruit bodies (sporophores) Myxomycetes. In the analysis of data for communities of Myxomycetes of xylobiontic substrate complex was recognized clearly correlate with the degree of decomposition of the wood. The study of distribution of species composition of the slime mold on the wood of various degree of decomposition showed that the maximum number of species observed on dead trunks where the wood is of medium density and bark can easily be separated (W3). The smallest specificity and diversity of species composition was observed on the fellen trunks of trees with very dense wood and dense bark (W1). This dead tree has low water-retaining capacity, and the tight bark and the wood is almost intact, containing large amounts of lignin, preventing insight into the interior of the barrel of plasmodium and myxamoeba of Myxomycetes. The study of the location of the colonies of slime molds in relation to the light level showed that the greatest number of species is found on the front, side and bottom parts of dead trunks of woody plants. The lowest specificity and the least variety of species of Myxomycetes, found on the top, facing the sun, parts of dead tree trunks. An exception are species with compound fructifications, for example, such as Fuligo septica, Reticularia splendens , which are most often observed on the upper parts of the sunlight-facing trunks of woody plants. It is noted that acidophily of species of the genera Comatricha and Cribraria could be documented for decaying wood and bark of living trees.