Fungal community across a tropical forest disturbance gradient

Woody debris is an important component of forest ecosystems, forming a substantial carbon pool and habitat for a diversity of organisms, including specialist species. The decomposition of woody debris is controlled by both abiotic and biotic factors. However, much less is known about the biotic factors, such as the contribution of fungi to nutrient cycling in tropical biomes. Moreover, given the high rates of tropical deforestation and forest degradation, it is vital to better understand anthropogenic impacts on essential biotic processes, such as decomposition. Hence, we set out to link the impacts of forest degradation and the role of biotic characteristics, especially fungal diversity and composition, in determining woody debris decomposition rates in a tropical biomeSpecifically, we examined the following questions; (i) what is the effect of wood species identity on the diversity and community structure of fungi; (ii) how does fungal diversity and composition in woody debris change through time and with state of decay; (iii) how does the degree of forest disturbance affect fungal diversity and community structure and (iv) how do these factors determine the rate of wood decomposition?