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Human Activity Impacts on Macrofungal Diversity: A Case Study of Grazing in Subtropical Forests

Summary

When goats graze in forests, they change the environment through trampling, eating plants, and leaving droppings. This study found that goat grazing actually increased the variety of mushrooms and fungi in three types of subtropical forests in China over two years. However, while there were more types of fungi overall, the special fungi unique to specific regions became less common, suggesting grazing makes fungal communities more similar across different areas.

Background

Concerns about negative impacts of human activities on macrofungal diversity are growing globally, but research remains limited. Forest grazing (silvopasture) is an increasingly popular economic practice whose effects on macrofungal diversity are underexplored. Understanding these patterns is crucial for balancing conservation and economic development.

Objective

To investigate how two years of grazing at 10 goats per hectare affects macrofungal diversity and community composition in three subtropical forest types in South China. The study compared macrofungal diversity indices and environmental factors before and after grazing intervention.

Results

Grazing significantly increased macrofungal alpha-diversity and richness, particularly in plantation types. Dominance shifted from monopolization by few taxa to more balanced distribution among multiple taxa. Wood saprotrophs and larger saprotrophic fungi increased after grazing, while smaller lichenized ascomycetes decreased. Endemic taxa dominance decreased in two of three forest types.

Conclusion

Grazing creates additional niches through livestock foraging, trampling, and excretion, recruiting diverse macrofungi. However, it may promote homogenization of fungal communities across regions, resulting in beta-diversity loss. These findings suggest grazing has complex effects on macrofungal communities requiring careful management consideration.
  • Published in:Journal of Fungi,
  • Study Type:Field Study,
  • Source: 10.3390/jof11100749; PMID: 41149938
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