Influence of forest age on fungal trophic groups in different forest ecosystems (Tuscany Italy)

The results of research into the effect of forest age on macrofungal trophic groups are reported for various types of Mediterranean forest ecosystems in Tuscany (Italy). The research was conducted in two periods: mycocoenological surveys were performed in the study areas since the '70es by some of the authors of this paper, and after 1020 years were repeated in the same plots. Statistical analysis demonstrate that the number and especially the percentage of symbiont taxa are negatively correlated with forest age, while the number and the percentage of lignicolous saprotrophic taxa are positively correlated with this parameter. A significant negative correlation was also found between forest age and percentage, but not number, of humicolous saprotrophs.