Sampling techniques for the optimal measurements of macromycetes diversity in the Soudano-Guinean ecozone (West Africa)

Abstract

Fungi range among the most important organisms in the world thanks to their ecological roles in the ecosystems and their socio-economic importance for human beings. Still, the global fungal species richness is full of uncertainties as evidenced by various estimates. Estimating fungal species richness and diversity is raising many questions related to the sampling effort (in space and time). This study aims to determine the effect of the sampling technique on the diversity measure and natural productions of wild macromycetes in the soudano-guinean forests. Six concentric plots different in the sizes and in the shape were installed in the Isoberlinia doka dominated woodlands. We recorded the number of fruit bodies and the fresh biomass of the species for each plot from June to October 2017. Dendrometric parameters were assessed by counting individual trees with dbh ≥ 10 within plots. A mixed linear model was applied through lme4 package to assess the influence of the size and shape of the plots on the abundance and species richness of macromycetes. An analysis of variances was used to assess the influence of the size and shape of the plots on the fresh biomass. Results showed that the abundance is higher in square plots at sizes 400 and 625m² but the biomass does not different significantly from one shape of plot to another (P = 0.228). Fresh biomass is higher in rectangular plots compared to the square and circular ones. Highest values of specie richness are obtained in the 25 m² for circular plots.