Diversity and phenology of the macrofungal assemblages supported by litter in a tall, wet Eucalyptus obliqua forest in southern Tasmania, Australia

Litter in the tall, wet Eucalyptus obliqua forests of southern Tasmania supports rich and diverse macrofungal assemblages, with a total of 146 macrofungal species found fruiting in or on litter in a 1 ha area of native forest encompassing a range of fire histories. Of these, less than half (65 species) can be considered as preferring litter as a substratum, the remainder being more commonly found on soil or wood. Although each plot of differing wildfire history had a characteristic litter mycota, this distinctiveness was not so pronounced as for the macrofungal assemblages associated with soil and wood. The time line for the fruiting of most litter-preferring macrofungal species was narrower than that for species on wood and soil, with peak fruiting occurring during April-July. Fruiting at other times correlated with rainfall events in warm dry weather. Species richness and diversity were correlated with the three main vegetation types which generated the litter.