Abstract:
Basidiomycete fructifications collected at the research site were Cortina sp., Amanita sp., Armillaria sp., Polyporus abietinus,
Fomes annosus, Poria spp., Fomes pinicola, Coprinus spp., and Cantharellus cibarius.
Fungal organisms isolated from partially decomposed needles were phycomycetes and Fungi Imperfecti, and organisms isolated from
undecomposed needles were primarily yeasts ... The results indicate that basidiomycetous fungi either do not play an active role in primary decomposition of needle litter or,
if they do, they will not grow in the artificial cultures tested ... The chemical analyses of undecomposed and decomposed
needles indicate that the associated organisms either utilize the oils or simply change their structure to more soluble forms, which makes them available to other microorganisms in the decomposer chain ... The greatest loss of weight from needles was after 6 months of decomposition. Possibly the decay organisms
only attack the cuticle and, after 6 months, the cuticle was reduced to the point where extraction of the oils was much easier.
