Abstract:
Bridgeoporus nobilissimus (W.B. Cooke) Volk, Burdsall, & Ammirati (BRNO)
is a Survey and Manage fungi species listed under the Northwest Forest Plan.
Perennial sporocarps (conks) fruit on large, dying and dead conifers in late-successional
old-growth forests and on remnant stumps and snags in young and
mature second-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest (PNW). The research
objective is to describe the relationship between BRNO and the environment at
the individual conk-, host- and stand-level. Only twelve known sites occur in
Oregon and Washington with one to several hosts (and/or plots) per site.
Twenty-one Known Site Survey plots (KSS plots) were sampled for this study.
Additionally, six BRNO hosts were sampled outside KSS plots. Known Site
Survey data was measured previously and used for multivariate analysis of the
conk variables, plant community, and environmental data. At each sampled host
location, morphology, and aspect of conk were determined. Wood samples were
collected from all well-decayed hosts to determine species. Sixty BRNO hosts
were sampled, 9 in Washington and 51 in Oregon. Eighty-one conks occurred on
60 hosts; 15 hosts had multiple fruiting bodies present. Conks were observed
fruiting on old, large live trees and on well-decayed snags and stumps, but not on
downed logs. Hosts most often have northern or western aspects, while
dominant conks frequently face south. Conk position varied with host type -
conks observed on live trees and snags fruit solely at the base of the host or
below 1.5 meters in height; conks on stumps fruit at various locations. All wood
sampled from hosts was identified as Abies spp. Analysis on plant community
data indicated the presence of elevation and canopy cover gradients on KSS plot
data. Analysis on conk variables data revealed patterns in conk-host relations
relative to region, elevation, and host type. Current observations of BRNO
indicate a range of occurrence by elevation, forest cover type, successional stage
and plant communities throughout its geographical range. Conservation efforts
of BRNO must focus on the management of existing stands that have at least a
minor component of true fir (Abies spp.) present. Management should also focus
on all aspects of true fir - recruitment and retention of large live trees, recently
dead, and well-decayed substrate as potential hosts. The conservation of
potential habitat will be the most critical measure toward species conservation of
Bridgeoporus nobilissimus.
