Polypores as indicators of conservation value in Corsican pine forests

The polypore flora was studied in mountain forests of Pinus nigra ssp. laricio in Corsica, France. Data on logs and species composition were collected in 17 sites with different stand characteristics in order to identify species indicating old-growth conditions. Thirty seven species were found, all of them occurring scarcely. More than 40% of the species were new to Corsica. The species composition varied much between sites, but there was no correlation with any of the stand variables. Fifty-seven percent of the species are in North Europe on Red Lists, or considered to be indicators of old-growth conditions. Their presence is probably a result of old stand age and existence of considerable amounts of dead wood. Also, three of the species found are otherwise confined to the boreal region and could be relicts from the latest glaciation. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.