To understand host ranges and host specificity of ectomycorrhizal fungi and fungus specificity of host tree species, higher fungi from pure forest stands of following twelve tree species were collected for six years from 1981 to 1986 : Pinus densiflora, P. rigida, P. koraiensis, Picea koraiensis, Larix leptolepis, Abies holophglla, Populus alba×glandulosa, Castanea crenata, Quercus aliena, Q. acutissima, Q. mongolica, and Betula platyphylla.
A total of 196 ectomycorrhizal species with 8 varieties in 48 genera were identified. Thirty-one species with one variety belonged to Russula, 22 species with 5 varieties to Amanita, 18 species with one variety to Lactarius. Fungi belonging to above three genera, Laccaria, and Cantharellus had a relatively wide host range. Laccaria laccata was collected under all the 12 tree species, Amanita vaginata group under 11 tree species, Laccaria amethystina and Russula foetens under 10 tree species, Lactarius gerardii and Russula sororia under 9 tree species, and Amanita agglutinata, Cantharellus cibarius, Russula bella, and R. virescens under 8 tree species. Above 10 fungal species may be classified to have a wide host range. Following fungi were collected under 4 to 5 tree species of both conifers and broad-leaved trees: Amanita citrina, Boletus bicolor, B. erythropus, Lactarius piperatus, L. subzonarius, and Russula pseudodelica. Above fungi may be classified to have an intermediate host range. Chroogomphus, Gomphidius, Rhizopogon, and Suillus were collected only under Pinaceae and may be classified to have a narrow host range. Particularly Suillus grevillei was collected only under Larix leptolepis, and appeared to have high host specificity.
A total of 83 ectomycorrhizal species were collected under Abies holophylla, 66 species under Pinus densiflora, 50 species under Pinus rigida, 49 species under Pinus koraiensis, 46 species under Quercus aliena, and 23 fungal species under Larix leptolepis. Particularly, Larix leptolepis was associated with different fungal flora, with fewer species of Amanita, Lactarius and Russula, and more species of Laccaria. Most host tree species surveyed in the present study appeared to have low fungus specificity for ectomycorrhizal formation.
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