Molecular identification of wood-inhabiting fungi in an unmanaged Picea abies forest in Sweden

Based on variation in ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) DNA a met hod was developed to identify wood-inhabiting fungi without being dependent on fruit body formation or direct identification of mycelia isolated from wood. A reference library containing restriction fragment length polymorphi sm (RFLP) profiles of 39 fungal species was constructed by digesting the am plified ITS region with three endonucleases (Cfo1, Hinf1 and Mbo1). To test the method, early succession of wood-inhabiting fungi was studied in an un managed Picea abies forest in Sweden. Fungal species that were present in w ood in and at the border of two canopy gaps and a randomly chosen transect of the forest were identified. Bore core samples were taken from 78 standin g trees and snags at two gaps and from 30 standing trees positioned in the closed stand. DNA was extracted both directly from wood and from mycelia is olated from wood. Fifteen samples from wood or mycelia from wood were ident ified as Armillaria borealis, Coniophora arida, Fomitopsis pinicola, Hetero basidion annosum or Resinicium bicolor by comparing RFLP profiles. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.