Abstract

GOMEZ-CORNELIO, Sergio  and  MORON-RIOS, Alejandro. The identity of tropical tree litter determines the richness of saprobic fungi and the loss of biomass. Ecosistemas y recur. agropecuarios [online]. 2018, vol.5, n.15, pp.425-433. ISSN 2007-901X.  https://doi.org/10.19136/era.a5n15.1528.

The decomposition of litter and the release of nutrients depend on múltiple factors such as the identity and characteristics of the litter, environmental conditions and the organisms involved, including the fungal community. The objective was to determine the relationship between the litter of Piscidia piscipula, Bursera simaruba and Cedrela odorata with biomass loss and fungal colonization, under short-term laboratory conditions. Monospecific treatments were established and in the possible combinations of the leaves of the mentioned tree species. Moisture was applied to each treatment and the biomass loss of each litter species was analyzed, as well as the identity of the fungal species in each treatment. Forty-eight morphospecies of fungí were differentiated, with a greater number of exclusive morphospecies for Cedrela odorata. The presence of Cedrela odorata in the mixtures increased the richness of fungal morphospecies for the other tree species, while the presence of Bursera simaruba decreased this variable, possibly due to its Chemical composition. Despite the short time, significant biomass loss was found in the leaf mixtures with Cedrela odorata, while in the mixtures with Piscidia piscipula and Bursera simaruba no significant differences were found. It was also observed that the loss of biomass and the richness of fungal morphospecies were determined by the identity of the litter, rather than by the number of species in the leaf mixtures.

Keywords : Bursera simaruba; Cedrela odorata; fungal morphospecies; Piscidia piscipula; similarity.

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