A comparison of polypore funga and species composition in forest ecosystems of China, North America, and Europe

Background: Polypores as components of forest ecosystems are an important group of wood-inhabiting fungi playing a key role in forest regeneration. Previously, studies on polypore funga and diversity were focused on limited areas within one land mass only. What are the polypore funga and species composition for large-scale of China, North America and Europe? The funga and species composition of polypores in the three land masses will supply an important source of reference for the distribution patterns of polypores at species level or higher taxa. In the present study the diversity and species composition of polypores in China, North America and Europe are compared based on published data. Methods: The species diversity, species composition, major genera and nutritional modes of polypores in the three land masses are comparatively analyzed. Results: A grand total of 1,337 polypore species, belonging to 11 orders, 43 families and 168 genera, have been recorded in these three land masses of the Northern Hemisphere, of which 854 species occur in China, 547 species in North America, and 432 species in Europe. Polyporales, Hymenochaetales and Russulales are the three major orders, and Hymenochaetaceae, Polyporaceae, and Fomitopsidaceae are the three major families. The brown rot fungi Antrodia and Postia have highest number of species at generic level in the three land masses. The proportionally highest number of white rot polypore species is in China (78.81%), followed by North America (73.86%) and then Europe (67.82%); conversely, the proportion of brown rot polypores is highest in Europe (28.47%) then North America (21.39%) and then China (15.57%). Conclusions: China had the highest polypore diversity followed by North America, and then Europe although North America is around twice as big as China and Europe. White rot is the major nutritional mode of all the polypores in China, North America and Europe accounting for 77.04% of all polypore species. The white rot species as a proportion of all polypores in each of the three land masses are highest in China, followed by North America and then Europe. The polypore diversity patterns are probably due to tree species diversity and the distribution patterns of angiosperm and gymnosperm trees in the three land masses. More tree species and diverse forest types are in China than those in North America and Europe, and these factors may correspond polypore funga and species composition in the three land masses.

Automated summary

This study compared the diversity and species composition of polypores in China, North America, and Europe. The results showed that China has the highest polypore diversity, and white rot is the major nutritional mode for polypores in all three regions.