Macrofungal species richness, composition, distribution, and ecological preference along the elevation gradient in Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve, southern Western Ghats, India

Authors

  • Kurunnan Kandy Akshaya ICFRE–Institute of Forest Genetics & Tree Breeding, R.S. Puram, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641002, India. https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4807-6534
  • Arumugam Karthikeyan ICFRE–Institute of Forest Genetics & Tree Breeding, R.S. Puram, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641002, India. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7964-6602
  • Arunachalam Rajasekaran ICFRE–Institute of Forest Genetics & Tree Breeding, R.S. Puram, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641002, India.
  • Binai Nagarajan ICFRE–Institute of Forest Genetics & Tree Breeding, R.S. Puram, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641002, India.
  • Cheravengat Kunhikannan ICFRE–Institute of Forest Genetics & Tree Breeding, R.S. Puram, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641002, India.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.9907.18.6.29036-29051

Keywords:

Basidiomyctes, Climate change, Diversity, Ecosystem, Ectomycorrhiza, fungi, Mushroom, litter, Saprotrophs, Vegetation

Abstract

Fungi are a part of the forest ecosystem as saprotrophs, mycorrhizal symbionts, pathogens, and parasites/predators. The health status of an ecosystem is reflected in its macrofungal species richness and diversity. The present study emphasizes the effect of elevation and substrate availability on macrofungal composition, species richness, and distribution in Agasthyamala, a highly endemic, rich tropical wet evergreen forest type. The study was conducted at the forests of Agasthyamala situated in Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala, part of the Western Ghats, for a period of four years (2021–2024). Macrofungal sampling and quadrats of (10 x 10m) were laid out in 15 different locations under various elevation classes. A record of 1,929 individuals and 112 macrofungal species from 13 orders, 41 families, and 73 genera was documented. Of these, 86% were saprotrophic, 11% were ectomycorrhizal, 2% were pathogenic, and 1% were parasitic. The low- and mid-elevations exhibit high species richness which gradually decrease with increasing elevation. This trend has been explained with the help of substrate availability and other factors. The mid-elevation was supported with more substrate availability and diversity, including dead wood, fallen twigs, litter, soil, and live trees. The presence of an adequate substrate and its diversity, along with other factors including temperature, precipitation, vegetation type, and soil properties influence the macrofungal species richness, diversity, and distribution. Hence, the knowledge of the factors influencing the macrofungal community are very important to study their future species composition and richness under a global climate change scenario.

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Published

26-06-2026

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Vol. 18 No. 6 (2026)

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Copyright (c) 2026 Kurunnan Kandy Akshaya, Arumugam Karthikeyan, Arunachalam Rajasekaran, Binai Nagarajan, Cheravengat Kunhikannan

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