Date Posted – January 2023
THE STORM (Click here)
Over the past twenty years on Prince Edward Island (PEI) there have been 3 fall hurricanes (Juan, Dorian and Fiona), one winter hurricane (White Juan) and numerous “Nor’easters”. Each storm changed the PEI landscape. However, Fiona (Sept 24, 2022) was a different story (Wikipedia, hurricane Fiona); https://www.cbc.ca and https://www.cbc.ca. This time much of the shoreline was destroyed and thousands of trees were snapped in half or uprooted. As a result of sustained winds over 150km/hr power outages up to 14-20 days were common. The devastation was unprecedented and incredibly disruptive to all island residents. (First four photos courtesy of Lyne Perrotte.)
THE CLEAN-UP (Click here)
During the ensuing weeks the sound of chainsaws was constant with plant debris (logs and branches) piling up on the roadside waiting for disposal. Convoys of trucks were responsible for pick up although it is unclear where the material was deposited (possibly dumped in the sea). The clean up is ongoing but will take years to complete. (First photo courtesy of Lyne Perrotte.)
THE FUNGI (Click here)
The aftermath of Fiona gives one pause for thought, is there anything positive that can come from this event. From a mycological perspective this is a wind fall (no pun intended). While some of the plant material was removed much more remains where it fell in woodlots (terrestrial), streams (aquatic) and estuaries (marine). The huge number of downed trees provides an excellent opportunity to study fungi after a natural disaster. I suspect that in the next few years there will be a flush of wood colonizing species. Spring 2023 could be interesting.
Based on my experience over the past 15-20 years the following species are considered rare on PEI. However, with the incredible influx of substrate provided by Fiona their occurrence could dramatically increase in the ensuing years. It is worth looking for (tracking) these species to determine whether they are on the increase or gone.
Terrestrial Microfungi: Byssolophis ampla/sphaerioides (Ascofrance website; Muller & von Arx, 1962; Lohman, Marion, 1938; Holm L., 1986), Endoxyla mallochii (Untereiner et al. 2013), Camarops tubulina (Ascofrance website), Excipularia spp. (Spooner & Kirk, 1982), Melanconis ostryae (Wehmeyer, 1937).
Aquatic/Marine Microfungi: Savoryella curvispora (Microfungi of PEI, Carter website), Ascotaiwania hsilio (Chang et al. 1998, Fallah et al. 2011), Jahnula apiospora (Raja et al, 2008), Amylocarpus encephaloides (Microfungi of PEI, carter website), Orbimyces spectabilis (Microfungi of PEI, Carter website).
Terrestrial Macrofungi: Pholiota limonella, Naematoloma sublateritium (observed post Fiona, see photos below).
REFERENCES
Carter, Adrian, 2020. Microfungi of PEI, adriancartermycology.ca
Chang et al. 1998. New freshwater species of Ascotaiwania and Savoryella from Taiwan. Mycol. Res. 102(6):709-718.
Fallah, P. et al. 2011. Freshwater ascomycetes: Two new species of Ascotaiwania … . CJB 77: 87-92.
Holm L., 1986. A note on Byssolophis ampla. Windahlia 16:49-52.
https://www.cbc.ca. Sept 30, 2022. From then to now, Fiona …
https://www.cbc.ca. Sept 29, 2022. Fiona reshaped PEI’s coastline …
Inaturalist.org. Mushrooms of PEI
Lohman, Marion. 1938. Observations on Species of Buillardella. Papers of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts & Letters Vol 23: 155-162. As Buillardella sphaerioides.
Muller E. & J.A. von Arx, 1962. Die Gattungen der didymosporen Pyrenomyceten, 922 pp.
Raja H. et al. 2008. Freshwater Ascomycetes: Jahnula apiospora … . Mycoscience 49: 326-328.
Spooner B.M. & P. Kirk, 1982. Taxonomic notes on Excipularia and Scolicosporium … . Trans. Brit. Myc. Soc. 78: 247-257.
Untereiner et al., 2013. Molecular Phylogeny of Boliniales (Sordariomycetes) … . Mycologia 105: 564-588.
Wikipedia Hurricane Fiona
THE FUNGI
BYSSOLOPHIS AMPLA/SPHAERIOIDES
At base of trunkon dying Populus (AC 869, 954, 2409). I found this over several years in only one location. AC 869 as B. sphaerioides: spores brown, 2-celled, 12-15×4-5µm with ?gel sheath broader at tips, uniseriate, bitunicate asci, ascomata in subiculum, turbinate (like small snare drum) with prominent slit; densely crowded in cracks on bark; very big colony at base of tree, colony probably many years old; small hyaline spherical ‘conidia’ present at ascoma apex.
Byssolophis Ampla/Sphaerioides
Asci and ascospores
EXCIPULARIA SPP
Two species occur on Abies twigs, one with large spores (Excipularia sp., NPAC – 132) and one with smaller spores (Excipularia fusispora, AC- 1747, 1748, 1847, 2169). the latter was cultured and is deposited in the ECORC collection (DAOM 224267).
Excipularia fusispora (Berk. & Br.) Sacc. – AC – 1747. On Abies sp. dead twigs lying on the ground (needles still attached).
Observations on natural substrate (Abies sp, dead twigs on ground, needles attached): Sporodochia with spines directed upwards and fold inwards when dry, spines septate brown at base and hyaline in the upper cell, rounded apex; small pyramidal conidiomata on bark; spores 45-55×6-7µm indistinct 4-5 septate hyaline (immature), spores become dark brown with hyaline end cells, when mature 9-septate, brown central cells with 2 pale end cells, fusiform and curved, 45-55×6-7µm.
Observations in culture: Conidia germinated quickly from the hyaline end cells producing a slow growing black culture. No conidia or conidiomata developed.
Excipularia sp. NPAC 132. On Abies dead twigs, needles attached. Although found in New Brunswick it is worth looking for it in PEI.
Sporodochia glistening black and folded up when dry, scattered superficial on periderm; hairs approx 3-4µm wide with no darkened apex, uniform light brown; conidia up to 10 septate 70-100×8-10µm, end cells hyaline, middle cells are a rich brown. Spores larger than E. fusispora and hairs narrower.
Excipularia sp. Conidiomata and conidia LARGE SPORED NPAC 132
PHOTOS FROM Excipularia fusispora AC-1747 (DAOM 224267) SMALL SPORED
ASCOTAIWANIA HSILIO (AC 2730)
Ascomata immersed venter (300µm dia) and long neck (100-200×100µm) protruding above substrate. Peridium text. lineolata. Asci elongate with distinct apical apparatus (spores shot through apex in water mount), 110-130×11-4µm. Spores 29-32×8-9µm, 5-septate mid cells dark brown, shorter end cells pale brown, sometimes with large oil globule in 4 mid cells.
Ascotaiwania hsilio asci, ascospores and ascomata
MACROFUNGI
PHOLIOTA LIMONELLA
OBSERVED ONE MONTH AFTER THE STORM ON POPULUS STUMP.
NAEMATOLOMA SUBLATERITIUM
OBSERVED TWO WEEKS AFTER FIONA ON BURIED PICEA WOOD.
