AMOUNT AND CHEMICAL-ELEMENT CONTENT OF RHIZOMORPHS IN THE STEMFLOW AND THROUGHFALL AREAS OF BEECH STANDS ON DIFFERENT SOIL TYPES

Rhizomorphs of Armillaria mellea Karst s.l. were collected in the stem flow and throughfall areas of beech stands on four soil types in Hunga ry in order to compare their chemical element contents. The amount of rhizomorphs found in the samples increased with decreasing pH of the s oil types as well as with decreasing PH caused by the influence of ste mflow water. Least rhizomorphs were collected in the Ranker, whereas m ost were found in the stemflow areas bf the podzolized Brown Earth. Rh izomorph and beech root samples, collected for comparison, showed high ly significant differences in their chemical element contents. Rhizomo rphs contained less B, Fe, Ga, Li, Mg, Mn, Ti and V, but more Cd, Co, P, Pb, Si and Zn in all soil types than comparable beech root samples. Remarkable was the high Pb content of rhizomorphs, which is not chara cteristic of mushroom fruiting bodies collected in unpolluted areas.