Mycocoenology in Abies alba Miller woods of Central-Southern Tuscany (Italy)

Numerous reports indicate that fir woods in central and northern Europe hav e recently been damaged by increasing pollution. It has been demonstrated t hat fungi can be good bioindicators of forest health status. In polluted ar eas the production of fruit bodies generally declines and the fungal biodiv ersity, especially of symbiotic species, is reduced. Here we report the res ults of a survey of the fungal and plant communities in woods of Abies alba Miller in central-southern Tuscany, already studied in the past. Certain c hanges were observed in the study areas, but they seem more likely to be du e to other factors than pollution, such as the weather conditions, the age and natural evolution of the forests towards their climax.