DOI
https://doi.org/10.25772/AZ0S-1P44
Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-9673-8252
Defense Date
2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Biology
First Advisor
Dr. Derek Johnson
Abstract
We used a 29-year dataset of mushroom fruiting from the Pinar Grande forest in northern Spain to investigate the effects of climate change on the phenology, productivity, and diversity of mycorrhizal and saprotrophic mushrooms. We investigated the long-term trends in fruiting season length, yield (by count, total weight, and average weight), and genus richness. Additionally, we identified associations between monthly temperature and monthly precipitation with these fungal responses across functional groups: mycorrhizal, saprotrophic, litter-decaying saprotrophic, and wood-decaying saprotrophic mushrooms, and the economically-important edible genera Boletus and Lactarius. We found that autumnal season length in the Pinar Grande has shortened over time across functional groups, apart from wood-decaying saprotrophs. Litter-decaying saprotroph genus richness trended slightly upwards over the course of the study period. Higher precipitation July through September was generally a predictor of longer fruiting seasons and higher yields across functional groups, while high temperatures during these times were generally negatively associated with mycorrhizal season length and productivity, and positively associated with saprotroph season length and productivity. The dependence of mushroom fruiting on weather depended on their functional group: the fruiting responses of mycorrhizal fungi and litter-decaying saprotrophs were more closely tied to weather than that of wood-decaying saprotrophs. We conclude that increasing temperatures and decreasing precipitation alter mushroom fruiting in the Mediterranean region, particularly through the declining length of the fruiting season across functional groups and decreasing productivity of edible fungi, which carries potential consequences for both local forest ecosystems and myco-economies.
Rights
© Rachel DeMay
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
6-25-2025