Fungus

1. If possible - depending on the size of the researched forests and wood lands - yes, all macromycetes associated with all parts of the trees (ectomycorrhizal, parasitic, saprobiotic), with the exception of all of the myxomycetes, because they are no or not an essential factor in forest ecology. 2. Yes, again depending on the size of the research objects and the time table (one time inventory, several visits in one year, year round visits and monitoring over 3-5 or more years, etc.), the methods of assessing all species within prechosen representative plots (100 x 100 metre) or grids (10 x 10 metre) with comparable control sites and same traject or transsection inventories were applied and implemented. Within a plot or grid and the control sites, all species were identified. In some projects, all FB's of all species present on or within the range of each tree of the plot or grid were counted and specified. In one project on spontaneous forest regeneration after a storm, which felled 40 % of all trees (Douglas, Abies grandis, Pinus, Picea, Larix and Betula), this was done over a period of 3 years. Some other examples : -Two projects of immense parks (Rotterdam, Utrecht) with different integrated woodlands and lanes on different soil types were done in 3 sections over at least 5 years : the first year a complete inventory of section 1, the second year a complete inventory of section 2 and monitoring of section 1, the third year a complete inventory of section 3 and monitoring of section 1 and 2 and the following two to five years monitoring of all sections took place. - In an old beech forest with lots of oaks (Q. robus/rubra), Betula and Pinus, in 1991 a project started with a complete inventory after which monitoring over 8 years took place. I still return to this site at least once a year and can yearly add new species to the list. - a river side "griend" (= wicker ?) with pollarded willows was listed and monitored for 15 years. - In the Eifel (mixed forests of Q. robur, Carpinus and Corylus, beach woods, Populus tremula woods and spruce forests), after a first completed inventory, I almost weekly visited all plots and grids and took an inventory along predetermined trajects or transsections for 8 years. - In The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg and Germany (and Sweden), I sometimes asked one or more (specialised) collegues to go to one of my sites with me to complete the assessment even more, which I also did in return on some of their research sites. - Over the years, I collected hundreds of thousands of data pro site on the macrofungi of over 40 regularely visited Dutch sites and about 25 more (Eifel) or less frequently visited sites in other countries. 3. No, not necessary, I used telelenses and binoculars to identify and document species high up the trees and checked every year whether branches had fallen down to make 100 % sure the (bark pioneer) species were identified correctly.

... of which P. squamosus is a primary necrotrophic parasite, causing a fast developing deep white rot of the central wood in most diffuse porous trees and H. auricula-judae - except in Sambucus - is a secondary saprotrophic species causing superficial white rot of dead wood (of sawcuts).

Understood, but even then you can come across explicite copyright or even copyright being violated by illegal copy cat GOOGLE .

The sites, which were close to one of my (over the years several) Dutch and German homes and summer houses year round on a weekly to monthly basis for 8 (German Eifel) to - for three sites in The Netherlands - 12 years. The sites, which were within 100 kilometres of my Dutch homes 3-5 times a year, once in spring and the other visits during the period of August untill November for 3-5 years in a row.

I hesitate to ask, but is Grifola frondosa (also) known from beech in the U.K. ?

I meant all over Europe with the exclusion of the U.K. .

This might be the same type of brown rot in beech as is caused by Fomitopsis pinicola.

Tony, Very convincing pictures (of you and laeti on beech), thanks .

That's only true as far as photo's are not officially published in books, magazines and/or on CD-roms and DVD's with ISBN-numbers, which implicates, the photo's and texts are implicitely and often also explicitely (colofon page) protected by copyright. You'll then need permission in writing from the author/photographer and/or the publisher, who might charge you for the use of his material. The same thing will be the case on photo websites, which explicitely mention copyright and/or charge for downloading photo's with their permission. And apart from copyright, you're always obliged to state the name of the photographer and/or author.

... with a green bush cricket.

Yes, as a pioneer symbiont, mostly associated with the finer roots of (seedlings of) beech, but also associated with oak, especially when oaks have been or are part of (the edges of or open places in) beech woods.

Nice project . In assessing and monitoring the tree species specific macrofungi of Tree Species Specific Ecosystems of indigenous trees, over the last 10 years I've done this several times in The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg and Germany over 3-5 years periods and in Sweden, Danmark, the Czech republic, Switzerland and Austria on a 1-2 years base in forests dominated by Quercus robur, Fagus, Carpinus and Betula or Picea, Abies and Pinus. About what age of oaks are we talking here and do you want a list of species you can expect to find or need looking for ? And what species is Russula intermedia ? I can't find it in any of my books and literature on Russula.

Tony, Laetiporus on beech ?

Depending on the Acer species and the age of the tree, "middle aged" Acer pseudoplatanus f.i. is very well capable of overgrowing completely ringed zones. In The Netherlands, dune forest managers tried to eliminate the dominance of sycamore by completely ringing the bark of the trunks twice at two levels 30 cm apart, but the trees succeeded in overgrowing the wounds with callus within 3-5 years. I've seen the same phenomenon with ashes, of which the bark over a length of 20-30 cm was scraped off by cows' teeth.

Janey, So here's my comment on the article then. Although incomplete from a fungal perspective, because the author confines himself to species, which are most important in the nursery situation, the information in the article is correct and should be taken into account. From a mycological and forest ecological viewpoint however, I would like to add some fungal (bark) canker species, which are left out in the article : - Nectria coccinea, often in association with Cryptococcus fagi causing bark canker in Fagus, Populus, Ulmus, Acer, Salix, Fraxinus, Quercus, Betula and Malus. - Nectria ditissima causing bark canker in Fagus, Alnus, Betula and Pyrus. - Nectria fuckeliana causing bark canker in Pinus, Picea and Taxus. - Lachnellula species such as L. occidentalis (= L. hahniana), L. willkommii, L. calyciformis and L. subtillisima, causing bark canker in Larix. - Pezicula corticola causing bark canker in Malus, Prunus and Pyrus. - Rusts such as Gymnosporangium sabinea and G. clavariiforme (photo 2), in wintertime causing die back of branches and needles of Juniperus communis. - Chalaria species, such as Chalara fraxinea, causing bark necrosis and death of (branches of) Fraxinus excelsior. For the symptoms of bleeding canker in Horse chestnut, see : Aesculus bleeding canker. Photo 1 shows an "exploded" 52 years (year rings) old bark canker on a 160 years old beech caused by Nectria galligena. Photo 2 depicts Gymnosporangium clavariiforme on Juniperus communis. ---

Sean, Any in situ experiments done to prove the effectiveness of his suggestion ? And how to prevent wind spread spores of other decay fungi, which do not need wood along the edge of the forest as "stepping stones", passing the "barrier" of S. crispa inoculated wood ?

Sean & Geoff, Common red soldier beetles (Rhagonycha fulva).

David, The fourth photo shows Trametes versicolor and Datronia mollis, the last photo and the photo in your later post also show Trametes versicolor.

Russula's can not be 100 % correct identified without making a sporee (colour table), assessing the smell and/or taste and without using chemical reagens and a microscope (spore ornamentation) along with specialized literature (f.i. : Kränzlin (2005). Pilze der Schweiz. Band 6 with descriptions and photo's of 135 European Russula species). Besides, the Russula xerampelina s.l. complex includes R. amoenoides, R. cicatricata, R. cretata, R. elaeodes, R. faginea, R. gilvescens, R. gracilipes, R. graveolens and R. subrubens, of which only R. xerampelina s.s. and R. faginea are considered to be valid species. And R. xerampelina s.s., which smells like herring and has a red cap and stembase, only associates with Pinus and Picea.

Janey, Do you know the book Spiritual tattoo by John Rush ?

Sean, Yes, they are real swingers having orgies with nextdoor neighbours already standing in line, but they are poor performers compared to the tiny Hollyhock weevils (Rhopalapion longirostre) in my backgarden, which are at it all day long until "the lights go out" and it's pitch-dark outside. ---

... and from an mycologal and forest ecological point of view : endo- or ectomycorrhizae dependend tree species, tree species specific ectomycorrhizal macrofungi, life cycle of tree species and succession (pioneer - middle or optimum - late or end phase) of tree age related ectomycorrhizal symbionts, solitary or lane and nursery trees versus monotypical and/or mixed forests or woodlands with more or less competition for light, nutrients and water, use of fertilizers and insecticides or fungicides, soil and air pollution, etc.

Janey, Thanks, you're the best :thumbup: !

Janey, Assuming you have registered, could you give a short resume and/or a list of the bacteria or fungi and the tree species affected, which are included in the article ?

Sparassis crispa is a necrotrophic parasite, which not only lives on living coniferous trees, but also fruits on dead stumps. And all brown rotters are capable of "keeping out" saprotrophic competitors, because they consume almost all of the cellulose and just leave lignine behind, of which degradation is difficult, because it costs energy (no longer present sugar polymeres) to further break it down.