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Ecology of Armillaria species on silver fir (Abies alba) in the Spanish Pyrenees

Écologie des espèces d’Armillaria du sapin blanc (Abies alba) dans les Pyrénées espagnoles

Annals of Forest Science volume 66, page 603 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

  • • We describe the distribution and the ecology of three Armillaria species observed in silver fir (Abies alba) forests of the Pyrenees.

  • • We surveyed the presence and abundance of Armillaria above and belowground in 29 stands. Isolates were identified by the PCR-RFLP pattern of the IGS-1 region of their ribosomal DNA. We measured several ecological and management parameters of each stand in order to describe Armillaria infected sites.

  • • Armillaria cepistipes was the most abundant of three species observed. Armillaria gallica was dominant in soils with a higher pH and at lower elevations. Armillaria ostoyae seemed to be more frequent in stands where A. alba recently increased its dominance relative to other forest tree species. Thinning activities correlated with an increased abundance of Armillaria belowground. In 83% of the stands the same Armillaria species was observed above and belowground.

  • • It seems that in a conifer forest, A. cepistipes can be more frequent than A. ostoyae, a virulent conifer pathogen. Since logging is related to a higher abundance of Armillaria in the soil, the particular Armillaria species present in a given stand could be considered an additional site factor when making management decisions.

Résumé

  • • Nous décrivons la distribution et l’écologie de trois espèces d’Armillaria sur le sapin blanc (Abies alba) dans les forêts pyrénéennes

  • • Nous avons recherché la présence d’Armillaire au dessus du sol et dans le sol dans 29 peuplements. Les isolats ont été identifiés par RFLP-PCR de la région IGS-1 de leur ADN ribosomal. Plusieurs paramètres écologiques et de gestion ont été mesurés dans chacun des peuplements, pour caractériser les sites infestés.

  • • Armillaria cepistipes était la plus abondante des trois espèces observées. Armillaria gallica dominait dans les sols de basse altitude et à pH élevé. Armillaria ostoyae a semblé plus fréquent dans les peuplements où la dominance relative d’A. alba avait récemment augmenté par rapport aux autres espèces forestières. L’activité d’éclaircies était corrélée à l’augmentation d’Armillaire dans le sol. La même espèce d’Armillaria a été observée au dessus du sol et dans le sol, dans 83 % des peuplements.

  • • Il apparaît que, en forêt de conifères, A. cepistipes peut être plus fréquent qu’ A. ostoyae, pathogène virulent des conifères. Puisque les coupes forestières sont reliées à une plus grande abondance d’Armillaire dans le sol, la présence d’une espèce particulière d’Armillaria dans un peuplement donné pourrait être un paramètre stationnel supplémentaire à considérer lors de décisions de gestion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Forest Mycology and Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7026, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden

    Jonàs Oliva

  2. Forest Protection Section, Forest Technological Center of Catalonia, Ctra. Sant Llorenç de Morunys, km 2, 25280, Solsona, Spain

    Jonàs Oliva & Carlos Colinas

  3. Dept. of Botany, Biology Faculty, University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain

    Laura M. Suz

  4. Dept. of Crop and Forest Sciences, University of Lleida, Av. Rovira Roure, 191, 25198, Lleida, Spain

    Carlos Colinas

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  1. Jonàs Oliva
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  2. Laura M. Suz
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  3. Carlos Colinas
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Correspondence to Jonàs Oliva.

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Oliva, J., Suz, L.M. & Colinas, C. Ecology of Armillaria species on silver fir (Abies alba) in the Spanish Pyrenees. Ann. For. Sci. 66, 603 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1051/forest/2009046

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Annals of Forest Science

ISSN: 1297-966X