Abstract

Eleven Norway spruce Picea abies (L.) Karst. forests in the boreal zone of Sweden were studied to investigate the effects of selective cuttings on wood-inhabiting fungi from the families Polyporaceae, Hymenochaetaceae and Corticiaceae (Basidiomycota). The 11 sites constitute a gradient from extensively logged to semi-natural forests. Old selective loggings that occurred about 100 years ago have significantly decreased the availability of large and highly decayed logs. Based on fruit bodies, both the total species number as well as the number of threatened species decreased with increasing degree of cutting. Some of the occurring wood-inhabiting fungi are commonly accepted as indicator species of forests with old-growth conditions. These species showed pronounced preferences for well decayed and large logs. They were also more frequent in the less affected sites and became rarer with increasing degree of cutting; they therefore seem to be good indicators of forests less affected by logging.