Micoflora (Basidiomycota) de los eucaliptales del NO de la Península Ibérica

Abstract

This survey deals with the mycological diversity in the NW Iberian Eucalyptus plantations, focused on macrobasidiomycetes. This comprehensive study is particularly interesting in view of the little attention that Eucalyptus plantations were drawn in spite of being very common in the Iberian Peninsula.

The main objective was compiling a mycological catalogue of macrobasidiomycetes in the NW Iberian plantations of Eucalyptus, analyzing the ecology of the different species and evaluating the chorological contributions. A bibliographical review and nomenclatural update of the mycological references with Eucalyptus in the Iberian Peninsula was carried out.

The methodology was the most usual in mycological studies: sampling in selected plantations (from 1992 up to 2001) or compiling collections kept at international herbaria (LOU-Fungi, MA-Fungi, BIO, LISU). The final area implied a total of 200 towns from Asturias, Lugo, A Coruña, Ourense and Pontevedra, in Spain, and Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Minho, Douro Litoral and Beira Alta, in Portugal.

Macroscopic and microscopic identification was done before and after the conservation process. The studied samples (2,943 exsiccata) were included and deposited in the mycoteca of the CIFAE of Lourizán (LOU-Fungi).

A compilation of Iberian fungal references from Eucalyptus plantations was undertaken on the basis of available bibliography in the Laboratory of Micoloxía of the University of Vigo, the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid and of the Museu Laboratório of Lisbon.

The information was organized in a catalogue of species (in alphabetical order of genera and species), where the studied collections, observations, ecology and chorology are also furnished.

After the catalogue the most remarkable ecological aspects are discussed, based on the references and the contributions of the studied material. Species are arranged depending on their the relationship with Eucalyptus.

Finally, an updated mycological catalogue of references from Eucalyptus plantations is provided.

The main conclusions drawn from this survey are summarized below:

1. The knowledge of macrobasidiomycetes diversity in relation with Eucalyptus plantations in the NW Iberian Peninsula rises to 439 taxa (124 for Asturias, 154 for Lugo, 157 for Coruña, 139 for Ourense, 286 for Pontevedra, 91 for Minho, 13 for Douro Litoral, 17 for Beira Alta and 9 for Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro). The present study increases the peninsular catalogue for Eucalyptus up to 721 taxa, that are listed with its bibliographical references.
2. Most of the taxa have saprotrophic activity, specifically humicolous and lignicolous, but without specific affinity for the substrate on which they grow and having a wide Iberian distribution. Only a few lignicolous species are especially remarkable because of their great affinity for eucalypt barks such as Cylindrobasidium torrendii, Psilocybe hepatochrous and Pleuroflammula ragazziana.
3. Among the biotrophic species, some mycorrhizal species represent the most singular elements of the Eucalyptus Plantations. Most of them are pioneer and exotic species associated with Eucalyptus. The absence of these species is remarkable in mature stands, such as species of Russula and Lactarius. Adaptation of autochthonous fungi was also observed in species of Amanita, Cantharellus and some Boletales.