Fungal succession associated with the decay of leaves of an evergreen oak, Quercus myrsinaefolia

In Japan, the species component of fungal communities and fungal succession on decaying fallen leaves of broadleafevergreen trees has not been elucidated. In this study, we investigated the species components and structures of fungal communities inhabiting the decaying leaves of an evergreen oak, Quercus myrsinaefolia. Fungal succession occurs with the progressive decay of Q. myrsinaefolia leaves with the phyllosphere fungi, such as Tubakia sp. and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides giving way to early colonizers of fallen leaves on the ground, such as Subramaniomyces fusisaprophyticus and Rhinocladiella intermedia, and then progressing to later colonizers, such as Trichoderma koningii and T. harzianum. The whole succession pattern at this study site is characterized by the fungal succession associated with the decomposition of fallen leaves during the main leaf-fall seasons.