Stankevičienė, D., Kasparavičius, J., Rudawska, M. and Iwanski. M. 2008. Studies of Ectomycorrhizal Fungi Above- and Belowground in a 50-year Old Pinus sylvestris L. Forest. Baltic Forestry, 14 (1): 7-15

The assemblage structure of ectomycorrhizal fungi above- and belowground in the 50-year-old pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forest was determined in this study. The community was composed of 53 species, the majority of which belonged to the genera Cortinarius, Russula, Amanita and Tricholoma. Cantharellus cibarius and Paxillus involutus were the dominant species making up the largest part of the sporocarp biomass and determining harvest in the studied forest type. Twenty ectomycorrhizal morphotypes were determined belowground. Morphanatomical analysis and PCR–RFLP were used to determine morphotypes. The maximum species richness above ground was characteristic of September while variation in diversity of ectomycorrhizal morphotypes per vegetation season was very marginal and not significant.

Key words: ectomycorrhizal fungi, sporocarps, ectomycorrhizae, pine forest