Myxomycete diversity and ecology in the Baotianman National Nature Reserve, a subtropical mountain forest in central China

Diversity of myxomycetes has been extensively studied in temperate and tropical areas. However, there is still limited information about these organisms for the subtropics. The current study investigated the community of myxomycetes, characterizing the influence of elevation, season and forest type on myxomycete diversity in a subtropical mountain forest of China. Five study sites were established along an elevational gradient that extended from 1212 to 1626 m. Collection of field specimens and substrates for moist chambers was carried out at monthly interval from April to October in 2016. A total of 71 species were identified, with Arcyria cinerea, Hemitrichia minor, Perichaena depressa, Diderma effusum and Perichaena corticalis recorded as abundant. The diversity-based estimators were mainly affected by the sampling month and forest type, rather than by elevation. Different ecological patterns were observed among the microhabitats. Bark-inhabiting communities were closely linked with forest type, while communities of litter-inhabiting myxomycetes changed seasonally. Canonical Correspondence Analyses showed that the bark-inhabiting species were closely related to bark features, while the litter-inhabiting species were mainly determined by climate factors.