SPATIAL-DISTRIBUTION AMONG MYCELIAL INDIVIDUALS OF LYCOPERDON-PYRIFORME OCCURRING ON DECAYING LOGS

Multiple basidiomes of Lycoperdon pyriforme are often produced on deca ying logs. Data from vegetative incompatibility interactions and isozy me analysis were used to identify and determine the boundaries of myce lial individuals as reflected by the distribution of basidiomes. Tissu e cultures from randomly selected basidiomes from eleven different log s found at one of three different sites in Kansas and Missouri reveale d that, in most cases, isolates collected from a single log belonged t o the same vegetative compatibility group and isozyme phenotype. Thus it appears that all basidiomes on a log are usually the products of a single individual growing throughout the log. Several possibilities ex ist which might explain these observations. This fungus in nature may be sporadic and of low abundance; a natural consequence of the scatter ed distribution of logs and fallen wood upon which it grows and fruits . Hence, it, may be a relatively rare event for any given log to becom e successfully occupied by one individual, let alone many. Another pos sibility is that vegetative incompatibility among unlike genotypes cau ses the consequent exclusion of new individuals from an already establ ished site. Adjacent logs were occasionally colonized by the same geno types suggesting that some individuals may be able to move from log to log. However, since most logs were occupied by genetically unique ind ividuals, long-distance transport and/or sexual reproduction is probab ly an important factor in spatial distribution.