Impact of energy wood harvesting on fungal communities

Energy wood harvesting, i.e. collecting logging residues such as branches and stumps, is increasing in the Nordic countries. To investigate the impacts of energy wood harvest on wood-decomposing fungi, we conducted a large-scale replicated experiment in clear-cut stands in three geographical areas in Finland. The sequence of the four treatments applied in each area was expected to form an increasing disturbance gradient: logging residues left at site and no site preparation; logging residues left at site, patch mounding; 70% logging residue removal, patch mounding; and complete stump and 100% logging residue removal, patch mounding. To estimate the decomposition rate and fungal decomposer community, pre-weighed wood discs were incubated in the field for four years. Below each disc a soil sample was taken to evaluate the fungal inocula potential of the soil. Fungal community structure in wood discs and soil underneath were characterized by amplicon sequencing of fungal ITS2 rRNA region on Ion Torrent platform.