Annual Dynamics of Mycobiota in Symptomatic Century-Old Trees of Aesculus hippocastanum, Fagus sylvatica, Populus alba, and Quercus robur

Aging trees within the UNESCO World Heritage Site Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape exhibit dynamic and host-dependent mycobiota, challenging assumptions of static or neutral fungal communities. Research on century-old horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), copper beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Atropunicea’), poplar (Populus alba), and oak (Quercus robur) revealed significant temporal shifts in fungal diversity and composition, with Fagus sylvatica showing the most pronounced decline in richness. Saprotrophic fungi dominated across all hosts, indicating active wood degradation. The study employed ITS2 high-throughput sequencing to profile fungal assemblages from 40 wood cores collected in 2023 and 2024, highlighting host-specific patterns and potential implications for tree decline in managed historical landscapes.

Spetik, M., Frejlichova, L., Cechova, J., Bulir, P., Miksova, L., Stefl, L., Simek, P., & Eichmeier, A. (2026). Annual Dynamics of Mycobiota in Symptomatic Century-Old Trees of Aesculus hippocastanum, Fagus sylvatica, Populus alba, and Quercus robur. Journal of Fungi, 12(1), 50. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12010050