The ecology and population biology of two litter decomposing basidiomycetes

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dc.contributor.authorMurphy, John F.en
dc.contributor.committeechairMiller, Orson K.en
dc.contributor.committeememberNilsen, Erik T.en
dc.contributor.committeememberWest, David A.en
dc.contributor.committeememberScheckler, Stephen E.en
dc.contributor.departmentBiologyen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T21:39:15Zen
dc.date.adate2009-06-30en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T21:39:15Zen
dc.date.issued1992en
dc.date.rdate2009-06-30en
dc.date.sdate2009-06-30en
dc.description.abstractFour 286m2 plots on alternate sides of the spur ridges on Brush Mt. were established and their plant communities characterized. Agaric and Bolete basidiomycetes were sampled for two years. Fifty species were recorded on the plots. Phenologically, decomposer species were highly dependent upon rainfall events, whereas mycorrhizal species were more seasonal. Two species emerged as dominant litter decomposers. Marasmiellus praeacutus (Ellis) Halling is dominant on southwest facing slopes and occurs on a wide variety of coniferous and hardwood detritus. Collybia subnuda (Ellis ex. Peck) Gilliam is dominant on northeast facing slopes, and occurs on hardwood leaves and small woody detritus. The population structure of both of these species was investigated using tests of somatic incompatibility. Genets of both species are able to persist for more than one year. The observed minimum population density is 0.071 - 0.121 genets/m² for M. praeacutus and 0.039 - 0.093 genets/m² for g. subnuda. Mating tests indicate that M. praeacutus is heterothallic and tetrapolar, and that C. subnuda is heterothallic and bipolar. Preliminary crosses between monokaryotic tester sets indicate a surprisingly low number of mating alleles in both species. Decomposition studies suggest that while the restricted distribution of ~. subnuda to the northeast slopes may be affected by substrate specificity, the restriction of M. praeacutus to the southwest slopes is due to other factors.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.format.extentx, 139 leavesen
dc.format.mediumBTDen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.otheretd-06302009-040233en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-06302009-040233/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/43476en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartLD5655.V855_1992.M876.pdfen
dc.relation.isformatofOCLC# 26208477en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subject.lccLD5655.V855 1992.M876en
dc.subject.lcshBasidiomycetes -- Ecologyen
dc.subject.lcshBasidiomycetes -- Virginia -- Brush Mountainen
dc.subject.lcshPopulation biology -- Virginia -- Brush Mountainen
dc.subject.lcshPopulation biologyen
dc.subject.lcshWood-decaying fungi -- Virginia -- Brush Mountainen
dc.titleThe ecology and population biology of two litter decomposing basidiomycetesen
dc.typeThesisen
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
thesis.degree.disciplineBiologyen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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