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Pattern of Substrate Preferences of Free Living Protists (Myxomycetes) on

Decaying Wood

Article  in  Contemporary Problems of Ecology · September 2018

DOI: 10.1134/S1995425518050104

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ISSN 1995-4255, Contemporary Problems of Ecology, 2018, Vol. 11, No. 5, pp. 494–502. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2018.
Original Russian Text © A.V. Vlasenko, Yu.K. Novozhilov, M. Schnittler, V.A. Vlasenko, M.A. Tomoshevich, 2018, published in Sibirskii Ekologicheskii Zhurnal, 2018, No. 5,
pp. 572–583.

Pattern of Substrate Preferences of Free Living Protists

(Myxomycetes) on Decaying Wood
A. V. Vlasenkoa, *, Yu. K. Novozhilovb, M. Schnittlerc, V. A. Vlasenkoa and M. A. Tomoshevicha
aCentral Siberian Botanical Garden, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, 630090 Russia
bKomarov Botanical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, 197376 Russia
c
Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Universität Greifswald, Greifswald, D-17487 Germany
*e-mail: anastasiamix81@mail.ru
Received February 12, 2018; in final form, March 22, 2018

Abstract—We have studied the influence of the stage of decomposition and acidity of wood, as well as the illu-
mination of the microhabitat on the species composition, abundance, and occurrence of slime molds (Myx-
omycetes) of the xylobiontic (inhabitants of the wood) substrate complex of forest communities in Siberia
(Altai krai, Altai Republic, and Novosibirsk oblast). This work is based on a study of 1777 samples of fruit
bodies (sporophores) of myxomycetes. In the analysis of data for communities of Myxomycetes of the xylo-
biontic substrate complex, we recognize a successional series which clearly correlates with the stage of wood
decomposition. The study of the distribution of the species composition of the slime mold on wood of various
stages of decomposition shows that the maximum number of species is observed on dead trunks where the
wood is of medium density and the bark can easily be separated (W3). The lowest specificity and diversity of
species composition is observed on the fallen trunks of trees with very dense wood and dense bark (W1).
These dead trees have low water-retaining capacity, tight bark, and almost intact wood containing large
amounts of lignin, preventing the invasion of plasmodia and myxamoebae of Myxomycetes into the trunk.
A study of the location of slime-mold colonies in relation to the illumination level shows that the greatest
number of species is found on the front, side, and bottom parts of dead trunks of woody plants. The least spec-
ificity and the least variety of Myxomycetes species are found on apical parts of dead tree trunks facing the sun.
The exception are species with large fruit bodies such as Fuligo septica and Reticularia splendens, which are most
often observed on the upper parts of the sun facing trunks of woody plants. In the research area, the complex of
species typical for wood of coniferous trees is described. It is noted that acidophilic slime molds of the genera
Comatricha and Cribraria can be traced in xylobiontic and epiphytic–corticuloid substrate complexes.

Keywords: woody vegetation, xylobionts, Myxomycetes, slime molds, environmental factors, ecology
DOI: 10.1134/S1995425518050104

INTRODUCTION local biota and major ecosystems; much less informa-

Myxomycetes (slime molds) are spore-forming
free-living fungal protists that live in all terrestrial
biomes, where they live on plants or dead plant resi-
dues. To date, about 1000 morphospecies of slime
molds have been identified in the world. In forest
communities they inhabit woody debris, mosses,
lichens, and old fruit bodies of aphyllophoroid fungi in
the leaf litter and soil (Stephenson, 2004; Rollins and
Stephenson, 2011; Loganathan, 2016).
A special group consists of epiphytic–corticoid
species of myxomycetes inhabiting the folds of bark in
living woody plants. In steppes and deserts, due to the
lack of other types of substrate, slime mold lives in the
litter, on the stems of perennial semishrubs, and the
weathered dung of herbivorous animals. They mainly
live in mountains. Cryotolerant nival species are able
to form sporophores near melting snow.
To date, considerable date has been accumulated
on the species diversity of slime molds in a separate
tion is available about the ecological preference of
slime molds. In recent years there has been growing
interest to the study of the influence of microhabitat
parameters, including substrate, on the abundance,
occurrence, and species composition of slime molds
(Cavalcanti and Mobin, 2004; Schnittler et al., 2006;
Stephenson et al., 2008; Clissmann et al., 2015; Taka-
hashia and Harakon, 2016). For the first time in Rus-
sia, we studied the distribution patterns of myxomy-
cetes morphospecies on coarse wood debris based on
the analysis of the occurrence of sporophore colonies
depending on different stages of wood decomposition,
the level of substrate acidity (pH), and the location of
sporophores to the light source.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A study of the myxomycetes species composition
was conducted both in the field method and by the

494
 PATTERN OF SUBSTRATE PREFERENCES
cultivation of myxomycetes on substrates in “moist
chambers.” Slime-mold sporophores were collected
and dead wood was sampled during the survey of forest
plant communities of mountain and plain territories of
three constituent entities of the Russian Federation
(Republic of Altai, Altai krai, and Novosibirsk oblast)
in the period from 2008 to 2017. A total of 1777 colo-
nies of slime molds (samples) were found. We call one
or more sporophores, presumably developed from one
plasmodium, a colony.
When collecting sporophore samples and selecting
samples of wood, we took into consideration and
recorded the following parameters: species of slime
mold, taxon of woody plant, stage of decomposition of
the wood, and exposure of a colony of sporophores in
relation to the light (topical distribution). For statisti-
cal calculations, all the above data were recorded in
the database created by us in Excel software.
The stage of decomposition of woody plant trunks
was estimated on a scale from 1 to 5, where W1 is a
fallen tree with a tight-fitting and practically invisible
damage to bark and very dense wood; W2—there is
damage to the bark, it partially departs, and wood is
very dense; W3—there is significant damage to the
bark, it is easily separated, wood is of medium density;
W4—bark is practically absent, wood is soft and easily
divided into separate fibers; and W5—bark is com-
pletely absent, wood is very soft and easily divided into
individual fibers without the use of cutting objects.
We have studied fallen trunks of leaved arboreal
plants from the genera Acer L., Alnus Mill., Betula L.,
Malus Mill., Padus Mill., Populus L., Salix L., Sorbus L.,
and Tilia L., as well as fallen trunks of conifer arboreal
plants from the genera Abies Mill., Larix Mill., Picea
A. Dietr., and Pinus L.
Exposure in relation to light was estimated accord-
ing to the location of the colony of sporophores on the
dead trunk: A, trunk bottom in contact with the
ground (least illuminated); B, side barrel; C, apical
part; and D, upper part of the trunk (most illumi-
nated).
The collection of myxomycete sporophores in the
field was carried out by the standard technique
(Vlasenko and Novozhilov, 2012). The following
information was recorded for each sample: substrate,
substrate contact with the ground, character of illumi-
nation, stage of decomposition and size of wood resi-
dues, and exposure of the sporophore colony on the
substrate. In addition to the collection of mycomycete
sporophores in the field, we also used the method of
moist chambers (Gilbert and Martin, 1933), where
samples of rotten wood are taken in the field. In the
laboratory, samples were placed in Petri dishes and
incubated at room temperature and ambient light for
2 months.
An analysis of alpha diversity included an estima-
tion of species richness and evenness (Vasilevich,
1992). Evenness was calculated using the Shannon
CONTEMPORARY PROBLEMS OF ECOLOGY Vol. 11
495
diversity index by the formula H = −Σpi logpi2, where
pi is relative abundance of each species equal to n/N,
ni is the number of records of each species in database,
and N is the total number of records in the dataset
under analysis (Shannon and Weaver 1963; Magurran,
1988, 2004).
In this work we used the Simpson index describing
the probability of attribution of any two specimens
randomly taken from an indefinitely large community,
to different species, by the formula D = Σpi2 , where
pi is the proportion of specimens of ith species.
For a comparison of species composition in various
groups of slime molds, we used the Sørensen–Cze-
kanowski coefficient of similarity. Based on indexes of
Sørensen–Czekanowski, calculated using Statistica 8
software, we built dendrograms. For this purpose, we
used the method of hierarchical agglomerative family
(Ward method), in which the minimum dispersion is
optimized within clusters. As a result, clusters of
approximately equal sizes are created. As a measure of
difference, a quadratic Euclidean distance was used,
which helps us increase the contrast of the clusters.
RESULTS
We have found on rotten wood of different stages of
decomposition (W1–W5) 152 species of slime molds
from 12 families and 39 genera (Vlasenko and
Novozhilov, 2011, 2012; Vlasenko et al., 2013; Novo-
zhilov et al., 2010). The nucleus of myxomycete biota
in xylobiontic complex on the territory under study
includes 21 species whose occurrence was equal or
exceeded 1.5% of total number of the number of records
in database. These are Arcyria cinerea (Bull.) Pers.,
A. incarnata (Pers. ex J. F. Gmel.) Pers., A. stipata (Sch-
wein.) Lister, Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa (O. F. Mull.)
T. Macbr., Comatricha nigra (Pers. ex J. F. Gmel.)
J. Schröt., Cribraria cancellata (Batsch) Nann.-
Bremek., C. microcarpa (Schrad.) Pers., Fuligo septica
(L.) F. H. Wigg., Hemitrichia calyculata (Speg.)
M. L. Farr, H. clavata (Pers.) Rostaf., Lycogala epi-
dendrum (L.) Fr., Metatrichia vesparia (Batsch)
Nann.-Bremek. ex G. W. Martin et Alexop, Physarum
album (Bull.) Chevall., Ph. notabile T. Macbr., Stemo-
nitis axifera (Bull.) T. Macbr., S. fusca Roth, Stemoni-
topsis typhina (F. H. Wigg.) Nann.-Bremek., Trichia
decipiens (Pers.) T. Macbr., T. favoginea (Batsch) Pers.,
T. scabra Rostaf. and T. varia (Pers. ex J. F. Gmel.) Pers.
The contribution of myxomycete groups inhabiting
wood the different stages of decomposition (W1–W5)
to the formation of the nucleus of biota is uneven. For
example, for the most frequently occurring species,
Metatrichia vesparia, we noted the following frequen-
cies of occurrence: W1, 0 samples; W2, 2; W3, 92; W4,
26; and W5, 12; samples. For Lycogala epidendrum, we
noted an identical tendency, W1, 0 samples; W2,
No. 5 2018
496 VLASENKO et al.

Table 1. Correlation of myxomycete diversity with the stage of wood decomposition

Stage of wood decomposition

Parameters compared W1 W2 W3 W4 W5

Number of species 16 46 119 97 67

Shannon diversity index 1.5 1.0 3.6 3.6 3.0
Simpson domination index 0.020 0.001 0.026 0.016 0.020
Number of unique species/index of uniqueness 0/0 3/0.07 34/0.3 14/0.1 4/0.06

3 samples; W3, 63; W4, 19; and W5, 12 samples corre- the greatest biodiversity of myxomycetes is found on
spondingly. the wood of coniferous trees, while deciduous trees
An analysis of the distribution of slime-mold spe- contain complexes of myxomycetes poor in number of
cies composition on wood at different decomposition species, but with a large proportion of dominant spe-
stages showed that the maximum number of species cies (Table 3).
(119) was observed on the tree trunks (W3), where the
wood of medium density and bark is already easily
separated (Table 1). While on tree trunks (W1) with DISCUSSION
very dense wood and tight-fitting bark, the smallest It is known that decaying wood is a heterogeneous
number of species (16 species) was found. substrate and an important habitat for many species of
A study of the location of myxomycete colonies in micro- and macro-organisms in forest communities
relation to the level of sunlight showed that maximum (Boddy, 2001; Siitonen, 2001; Harmon et al., 2004;
number of species (110) was found on the bottom parts Brassard et al., 2008; Van der Wal et al., 2013;
of the fallen tree trunks and the smallest number of Yamashita et al., 2015; Cline et al., 2018). Properties of
species (66) was found on the upper, most illuminated decaying wood are different in tree species and change
parts of the trunks. The lowest value of the Shannon
index and the highest value of Simpson index were
noted for myxomycete communities in the lower and Table 2. Myxomicete diversity on different parts of large
upper parts of the trunks. Thus, the optimal place for fallen trunks in dependence of the sporophore position
the development of sporophores of slime molds is the related to the light source
middle and end apical of dead trunks of woody plants, Stage
while, on the upper and the lower parts, complexes poor
of species develop, but with a large proportion of domi- Compared parameters A B C D
nant species (Table 2).
We separately studied the distribution of identified Number of species 79 72 110 66
myxomycete species depending on the substrate Shannon diversity index 3.7 3.8 4.0 3.6
belonging to coniferous or deciduous woody plants.
Out of 1777 colonies of slime molds, the substrate Simpson domination index 0.04 0.03 0.02 0.04
(dead wood) for softwood or hardwoods was identified Number of unique spe-
for 1745. For the study area, it was found that the mean 14/0.2 30/0.4 13/0.1 9/0.1
cies/index of uniqueness
value of hydrogen index (pH) of coniferous wood is 5.6;
for deciduous it is 6.9. (A) Lower part of the trunk contacting ground (least illuminated),
(B) lateral trunk part, (C) apical part, and (D) upper trunk part
On woody debris of deciduous trees, we identified (most illuminated).
96 species of slime molds belonging to 30 genera of
9 families and, on coniferous, 127 species belonging to
37 genera from 12 families (Table 3). We have not Table 3. Biodiversity of Myxomicetes on the fallen trunks of
leaved and coniferous woody plants
found any members of Dianemataceae, Echinostelia-
ceae, or Liceaceae families on the rotten hardwood of Wood of Wood of
Compared parameters
woody plants (Fig. 1). leaved trees coniferous trees
The Shannon diversity index for slime-mold com- Number of species 96 127
munities developing on wood of coniferous trees is 4.2 Shannon diversity index 3.7 4.2
and the Simpson dominance index is 0.02; for the
community of slime molds growing on rotten wood of Simpson domination index 0.04 0.02
deciduous woody plants, the Shannon diversity index Number of unique species/ 25/0.3 51/0.4
is 3.7 and the Simpson dominance index is 0.04. Thus, index of uniqueness

CONTEMPORARY PROBLEMS OF ECOLOGY Vol. 11 No. 5 2018

 PATTERN OF SUBSTRATE PREFERENCES
in the process of disintegration (Stokland et al., 2012).
The number of myxomycete species living in/on rot-
ting wood may vary depending on the stage of its
decomposition, so we have examined fallen tree trunks
of different stages of wood decomposition, as well as
selected wood samples for experiments with moist
chambers.
The method of moist chambers is well established
in the study of biodiversity of Myxomycetes develop-
ing on the bark of live woody plants. However, it is of
little use for studying the biodiversity of myxomycetes
of the xylobiont complex. It is noted that, on samples
of rotten wood in the moist chambers, only a few spe-
cies of this complex are formed and sometimes species
of other substrate complexes develop, for example,
Echinostelium corynophorum K. D. Whitney, whose
spores could accidentally fall with the number of the
standing living tree. Thus, this method is not widely
used in our research. It was noted that the slime molds
of the xylobiont complex often do not form sporo-
phores in the moist chambers and the plasmodium
passes into the sclerotic stage or dies.
The greatest uniqueness of the species composition
has the complex of myxomycetes found on fallen
trunks (W3), where wood of medium density and bark
can easily be separated (Table 1). At the same time, we
noted that the high species diversity there is largely due
to the presence of rare species. Rotten wood of
medium density retains moisture from precipitation
well (Kielak et al., 2016), and the presence of a well-
separated bark promotes the development of plasmo-
dia under it of many members of the family Trichia-
ceae. Thus, the presence of bark in this case increases
the number of available microhabitats, and good
water-holding capacity of softwood provides an opti-
mal level of moisture substrate for the development of
trophic stages of Myxomycetes.
Currently there is a yet unconfirmed hypothesis
that myxomycetes are capable of destroying structural
plant-tissue polysaccharides, such as cellulose, pectin,
and lignin, as it is known that they produce extracellu-
lar amylase (Mubarak and Kalyanasundaram, 1991;
Lima and Cavalcanti, 2015) and degrade complex
compounds (Madelin, 1984). Thus, the decrease in
species diversity of myxomycetes on highly decom-
posed wood residues is probably due to the competi-
tion for food resources between myxomycetes and
wood-destroying fungi of different taxa.
The lowest specificity and diversity of species com-
position was observed on tree trunks with very dense
wood and densely adjacent bark (W1). Such woody
debris does not keep water from atmospheric precipi-
tation very well, so tight bark and wood is almost
intact, containing large amounts of lignin, preventing
plasmodia of slime molds and myxamoebas from pen-
etrating the interior of the trunk. It is known that with
an increasing specificity of the environment, the abso-
lute and relative number of rare species with small spo-
CONTEMPORARY PROBLEMS OF ECOLOGY Vol. 11
497
On coniferous plants
On deciduous plants
Trichiaceae
Stemonitidaceae
Reticulariaceae
Physaraceae
Liceaceae
Echinosteliaceae
Didymiaceae
Dianemataceae
Cribrariaceae
Clastodermataceae
Ceratiomyxaceae
Arcyriaceae
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Fig. 1. Representation of different families of Myxomy-
cetes on dead wood of deciduous and coniferous trees.
rophores decreases, resulting in a decrease in total
richness. This increases the proportion (but not abso-
lute number) of the abundant species. This was partic-
ularly noted for vascular plants in the Arctic (Matve-
eva, 1998). Myxomycetes in this respect are no excep-
tion. The dendrogram of similarity built based on
Sørensen–Czekanowski coefficients has shown that
the biota of slime molds on dead trunks of trees with
very dense wood and a tight-fitting bark (W1) com-
poses a separate cluster (Fig. 2). The greatest similarity
was noted between the complexes of myxomycetes
inhabiting the wood of decaying trunks with signifi-
cant damage to the bark which is easily separated,
wood of medium density (W3), as well as wood of
decaying trunks, where the bark is virtually absent and
the wood is soft and easily divided into separate fibers
(W4). This is due to the fact that this is a consistent
stage of decomposition of wood and the species com-
position of myxomycetes is gradually replaced.
An analysis of the change of dominant families
depending on the level of decomposition of wood
showed (Fig. 3) that, on tree trunks with very dense
wood and tight-fitting bark (W1), species only from
7 families were noted. A detailed study of the species
composition on this substrate revealed that many spe-
cies are eurybionts and occur on various types of sub-
strate, including the bark of living woody plants.
It was noted that the Physaraceae family almost
always plays a leading role in any stage of wood decom-
position. This trend is explained by the fact that this
family, firstly, has the largest number of known species
and, secondly, it contains many eurybiontic species.
No. 5 2018
498
W1
W2
W3
W4
W5
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
Fig. 2. Dendrogram of similarity of the species composition of Myxomycetes found on fallen trunks of woody plants with different
stages of decomposition. A description of the classification of wood by the stage of decomposition (W1–W5) is given in the Mate-
rials and Methods section.
The maximum diversity at the level of the spectrum
of families (14 families) of myxomycetes is on the
fallen trunks of woody plants with a significant dam-
age to the bark, the bark is easily separated, and the
wood is of medium density (W3). On wood with the
stage of decomposition of W2 and W5, nine families
were noted. At the same time, there is a different spe-
cies composition of myxomycetes, which indicates
that in each family there are species with the same eco-
logical niche and with different niches. For example,
Cribraria macrostipitata H. Neubert et Nann.–
Bremek. was found on fallen tree trunks with the stage
of wood decomposition W2, W 3, and Cribraria mac-
rocarpa Schrad. only on fallen trunks with the stage of
wood decomposition of W4.
The study of the distribution of slime-mold colo-
nies on different parts of dead trunks that have differ-
ent exposure towards the sunlight showed that the
group of species found on the upper most illuminated
surface of the dead trunk (D) composes a separate
cluster (Fig. 4).
The combination into separate, small subcluster
groups of myxomycetes living on the side (B) and end
(C) parts of woody plants of fallen trunks can be
explained by almost the same level of illumination of
these parts of the substrate. It is known that the open-
ing or cracking of peridium occurs when it dries during
the maturation of sporophores, which is largely facili-
tated by the level of sunlight. Many species of slime
molds are characterized by the phenomenon of auto-
CONTEMPORARY PROBLEMS OF ECOLOGY
VLASENKO et al.
1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8
Relation distance
mechanochoria. For example, threads of the capitium
of Order Trichiales T. Macbr. have adaptations that
allow prolonged contact with sunrays to spin accord-
ing to the type of springs and “shoot” spores (Fig. 5).
Also, anemochory is quite widespread among slime
molds and the location of mature sporophores on cer-
tain parts of dead trunks of woody plants can facilitate
or hinder the dissemination of slime-mold propagules
by entering the air flow.
It is known that the acidity of substrate (pH) is a very
important parameter for most species of Myxomycetes
(Novozhilov et al., 2017). The greatest selectivity with
respect to this parameter can be observed in the epi-
phytic–corticoid group of myxomycetes (Härkönen,
1977, 1978, 1981; Härkönen and Ukkola, 2000).
Our studies have shown that, for the slime molds of
the xylobiont complex, the acidity of the medium
(pH) is also an important parameter. An analysis of
the distribution of myxomycetes depending on the
substrate belonging to coniferous or deciduous woody
plants revealed species with a strict adherence to pH
values. Fifty-one species of myxomycetes were found
exclusively on coniferous species of woody plants,
where the majority of species were distributed between
the genera of Arcyria Hill ex F. H. Wigg., Comatricha
Preuss, Cribraria Schrad., Licea Schrad., and Physa-
rum Pers. Twenty-five species of slime molds were
identified exclusively on deciduous species of woody
plants, where the majority of species were distributed
between the genera Badhamia Berk., Fuligo Haller,
Vol. 11 No. 5 2018
 PATTERN OF SUBSTRATE PREFERENCES 499

W1 W2
Arcyriaceae Arcyriaceae
25 25
Trichiaceae Ceratiomyxaceae Trichiaceae Ceratiomyxaceae
20 20
Stemonitidaceae
15 Clastodermataceae Stemonitidaceae
15 Clastodermataceae
10 10
5 5
Reticulariaceae 0 Cribrariaceae Reticulariaceae 0 Cribrariaceae

Physaraceae Dianemataceae Physaraceae Dianemataceae

Liceaceae Didymiaceae Liceaceae Didymiaceae

Echinosteliaceae Echinosteliaceae
W3 W4
Arcyriaceae Arcyriaceae
25 25
Trichiaceae Ceratiomyxaceae Trichiaceae Ceratiomyxaceae
20 20
Stemonitidaceae
15 Clastodermataceae Stemonitidaceae
15 Clastodermataceae
10 10
5 5
Reticulariaceae 0 Cribrariaceae Reticulariaceae 0 Cribrariaceae

Physaraceae Dianemataceae Physaraceae Dianemataceae

Liceaceae Didymiaceae Liceaceae Didymiaceae

Echinosteliaceae Echinosteliaceae
W5
Arcyriaceae
25
Trichiaceae Ceratiomyxaceae
20
Stemonitidaceae
15 Clastodermataceae
10
5
Reticulariaceae 0 Cribrariaceae

Physaraceae Dianemataceae

Liceaceae Didymiaceae
Echinosteliaceae

Fig. 3. Sequence of the change in the spectra of dominant families of myxomycetes depending on the stage of wood decomposition.
A description of the classification of wood by the stage of decomposition (W1–W5) is given in Materials and Methods section.

Physarum Pers., and Reticularia Bull. Thus, acido-
philic slime molds of the genera Comatricha and
Cribraria can be traced in xylobiont and epiphytic–
corticoid substrate complexes. The significant pres-
ence of species of the genus Physarum simultaneously
on deciduous and coniferous woody remains is
explained by both the volume of taxon and the pres-
ence of species in it sometimes preferring even con-
trasting habitat conditions.
CONCLUSIONS
As a result of an analysis of data within the bound-
aries of the xylobiont substrate complex of myxomy-

CONTEMPORARY PROBLEMS OF ECOLOGY Vol. 11 No. 5 2018

500 VLASENKO et al.

0.24 0.26 0.28 0.30 0.32 0.34 0.36

Relation distance

Fig. 4. Dendrogram of similarity of the species composition of myxomycetes on different parts of fallen trunks with different
exposures to sunlight. A description of the classification of wood by the stage of decomposition (W1–W5) is given in Materials
and Methods section.

(a) (b)

Fig. 5. Arcyria helvetica (Meyl.) H. Neubert, Nowotny et K. Baumann: (a) sporophores, scale = 1 mm; (b) threads of capillitium
and spores, scale = 15 μm.

cetes, the presence of successional series clearly
related to the stage of decomposition of wood was
noted.
A study of the effect of the stage of decomposition
and acidity of wood on the species composition, abun-
dance, and occurrence of the myxomycete xylobiont
complex, as well as the location of colonies of their
sporophores on the fallen trunks of trees, showed that
the greatest taxonomic diversity was observed on lat-
eral and apical parts of tree trunks belonging to coni-
fers at the W3 stage of decomposition (average density
of wood and easily separating bark).
The lowest specificity and the least diversity of spe-
cies composition of slime mold were observed in the
upper parts of the fallen tree trunks facing the sun.
Direct exposure to sunlight on these parts of the valley
leads to a strong drying of the substrate and rapid dry-
ing of the still immature sporophores of many species

CONTEMPORARY PROBLEMS OF ECOLOGY Vol. 11 No. 5 2018

 PATTERN OF SUBSTRATE PREFERENCES
of myxomycetes. The exceptions are species with large
sporophores, such as Fuligo septica (L.) F. H. Wigg.
and Reticularia splendens Morgan, which are most
often noted precisely on the upper (facing the sun-
light) fallen trunks of woody plants.
On deciduous trees, complexes of Myxomycetes
with a small number of species develop, but with a
large proportion of dominant species; on coniferous
tree species, on the contrary, there are complexes with
a large number of species and the absolute and relative
number of rare small species increases, resulting in
increased total richness.
As a result of our research, we can note that the pH
acid tolerance complex of species associated with
coniferous wood was found. It should be noted that
acidophilic slime molds of the genera Comatricha and
Cribraria can be traced in xylobiont and epiphytic–
corticoid substrate complexes. It is shown that, in the
study area, Myxomycetes from the genera Collaria
Nann.-Bremek., Colloderma G. Lister, Dianema Rex,
Dictydiaethalium Rostaf., Echinostelium de Bary, Lep-
toderma G. Lister, Licea Schrad., and Paradiacheopsis
Hertel develop exclusively on the wood of coniferous
trees.
The accumulation of information about the envi-
ronmental impact of microclimate on the community
of slime molds is of great importance for understanding
the stability and dynamics of ecosystems in general.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This study was conducted within the project
no. АААА-А17-117012610055-3, according to the
State Task of the Central Siberian Botanical Garden,
Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Science. The
laboratory work of Y.K. Novozhilov was supported by
the program ААА–18–118031290108–6.
In this paper we used materials from Herbarium of
Higher Vascular Plants, Lichens and Fungi (NSK),
USU 440537.
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Translated by S. Kuzmin
Vol. 11 No. 5 2018