ABSTRACT A observe of myxomycetes ...

ABSTRACT

A observe of myxomycetes was conducted at three sites within Cedars of Lebanon State Park, Wilson shire Tennessee from May 1 to September 30 1993 Fructifications that unfolded on samples of bark and plant debris placed in moist chamber refinements were used to supplement field collections. The current report deals with 216 specimens representing 54 species of myxomycetes. sum of two units of these (Comatricha fimbriata and Hemitrichia intorta) are strange reports from Tennessee.

INTRODUCTION

Braun (1950) referr to "cedar glades" as "open to close stands of red cedar" (Juniperus virginiana L) upon flats of Lebanon limestone. She considered as it was "glades" the most distinctive feature of the Nashville Basin. Quarterman (1989) described a "glade involved or ecosystem" of "open gravelly/grassy pure glades surrounded by or winding between bush thickets and glade woods" that take place in "crevices or potholes of soil penetrating enough to support their growth"

Published information onward the myxomycetes of Tennessee is scarce and, with the exception of single in kind study (Leech and Rosing 2002) based exclusively forward studies conducted in eastern Tennessee (Cooley 1934 Hagelstein 1940 Linder 1941 Weldon 1951 Farr 1979 casts et al. 2000, Stephenson et al. 2001 Snell et al. 2003) This reflection reports on myxomycetes of the spread glades, glade woods, and adjacent hardwood forests of middle Tennessee All research sites are within Cedars of Lebanon State Park Wilson County, Tennessee.

Site One

Approximately 230 m southeast of the park office, this site includes an interpret glade dominated by herbaceous plants as well as a narrow band of immediately adjacent glade forest-lands that include Forestiera ligustrina (Michx.) Poir., Rhus aromatica Ait., Symphoricarpos orbiculatus Moench Opuntia sp J virginiana, and Quercus muhlenbergii Englem This is the greatest in quantity open and xeric of the sites and lies at an elevation of approximately 200 m

Site Two

An area of mixed cedar-hardwood lies approximately 115 m east of the visitor's center between Site single in kind and the main drive. This site supports a number of large cedars as well as a number of smaller specimens of Ostrya virginiana (Miller) K Koch Juglans nigra L Celtis laevigata Willd., Ulmus alata Michaux, Fraxinus quadrangulata Michx., Viburnum rufidulum Raf., Diospyros virginiana L Carya carolinae-septentrionalis (Ashe) Engler & Graebner, as well as grape vines (Vitis spp) This site is intermediate in its ability to possess moisture and only slightly higher in elevation than Site single at approximately 205 m.

Site Three

A hardwood forest occupies a ridge above the park naturalist's to one's home This site has an elevation of approximately 235 m and is characterized by way of deep soils and large trees: Quercus alba L Q muhlenbergii, Acer saccharum Marshall, J nigra, D virginiana, C carolinae-septentrionalis, as well as by the agency of grape vines. An understory of Cercis canadensis L O virginiana, Morus rubra L and Cornus florida L is also not past nor future Due to the deeper soil, this site has the greatest ability to retain moisture.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A 30 by way of 30 m plot was established at each collection site and its corners inconspicuously marked. brace hours were spent sampling each draught during each week of the collection period, May 1-September 30 1993 Fruiting bodies were scrape togethered from leaf litter, fallen log twigs, living plants, and soil. tonics by Martin and Alexopoulos (1969) were used to make species identifications. Periodically, bark and litter samples from each site were gathered moist chambered in the manner described by way of Gilbert and Martin (1933), and examined closely for plasmodia and fruiting bodies for a three week period. Mitchell's (1980) elucidation to corticolous myxomycetes was utilized for identifications. Nomenclature and species descriptions essentially tread close upon Martin and Alexopoulos (1969).

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Microscopic examination of 216 specimens revealed 54 species of myxomycetes (Table 1) sum of two units of these species (Comatricha fimbriata and Hemitrichia intorta) have not been reported previously in the literature as occurring in Tennessee In addition, alone one previous report of Physarum lateritium has aye been made (Linder 1941). Voucher specimens have been deposited in the MTSU herbarium.

Data from the National Weather Service indicate that average temperatures for June July and August of 1993 were higher than normal at the Nashville International Airport, a certain thirty two kilometers west of the park. However, rainfall was below normal for all month of the studious mood period except June. Undoubtedly, a observe of the same three thought sites would reveal additional species of myxomycetes during a cooler wetter growing season.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author wishes to thank Dr SL Stephenson and HW Keller for their assistance with the identification of specimens, the Faculty Research Committee at Middle Tennessee State University for supporting the investigation, and Mr Sandy Suddarth, Park Naturalist, for his assistance marking the collecting sites.