Macromycetes in the Dendrological Park of the Warsaw Agricultural University

A list of 79 species of macromycetes recorded in the Dendrological Park of the Warsaw Agricultural University in Warsaw between 1996 and 2005 is discussed in the paper.


INTRODUCTION
Warsaw is one of the few Polish urban centres where mycological examinations have been conducted, and its ecology has been investigated.Similarly to other agglomerations in Poland, however, the knowledge on marcomycetes occurring in it is unsatisfactory (A d a m c z y k , Ł a w r y n o w i c z 1991; Z i m n y 2000).Studies by C h e ł c h o w s k i (1888,1898,1902) and B ł o ń s k i (1890, 1896) with records of 467 fungal species in the city at the time, are of fundamental importance for contemporary comparative studies on the occurrence of fungi in Warsaw.S k i r g i e ł ł o and D o m a ń s k i (1981), and Ł a w r y n o w i c z (1982), who noticed a decrease in the number of species of parasitic and mycorrhizal fungi in the city centre, greatly contributed to the study of macromycetes in towns.
In urban areas, parks play an important role of habitats for many species, including fungi for which they are often the only natural sites (Ł a w r y n o w i c z 1990).Although there are over �0 parks and gardens in Warsaw, systematic observations of macromycetes were published only from the Botanical Garden of the University of Warsaw.A total number of 5� species was collected in the entire area of the Garden �ca.�.5 ha� over three years of studies �S z o b e r 1965�.
The aim of this study is to present the species composition of macromycetes noted in the Dendrological Park of the Warsaw Agricultural University and to define the Park's role as the environment of macromycetes in Warsaw.1�1 herbaceous vegetation consists of such plants as Aegopodium podagraria, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Gagea lutea, Galeobdolon luteum, Galium aparine, Impatiens parviflora, Lamium album, Urtica dioica, Plantago lanceolata, Symphytum officinale, Taraxacum officinale, Trifolium repens, Viola spp.According to Z i e l o n y �2005�, elements of the typical oak-lime-hornbeam community, Tilio-Carpinetum typicum, may be found in the Park.A poorly preserved network of alleys and paths is still identifiable.A small cemented water reservoir is situated in the central part of the Park.The field layer and lawns are mown every year, and leaves and fallen branches are raked in the autumn.Tree-stand maintenance work was conducted in 1993 and 1997.Tree crowns were thinned, dead limbs and branches were cut, and injures were treated.Dead or dying trees and shrubs, self-sown seedlings as well as trees or shrubs constituting a risk of damage to the fence and the adjacent University buildings, were felled.Because of progressing tree dying (Fig. 3), Tu m i ł o w i c z (1993) emphasised the need to complement the existing tree-stand with new plantings as early as in 1993.Over a decade later, his demands have not been acted upon.
Although the Park has been an important teaching site and an experimental field for a number of faculties of the Warsaw Agricultural University since it was established (S t a f f 1937; Z a r ę b a 1977), no research study discussing it has been published so far.
The present list of macromycetes is the result of observations conducted between 1996 and 2005.Systematic observations were conducted at least once every month in the vegetative seasons between 1998 and 2003.The Park was visited sporadically outside this period.A thorough survey of the entire area could not be conducted on each visit.
The recorded fungi were classified in three basic ecological groups: terrestrial species -i.e.fungi occurring on soil, both saprotrophic and mycorrhizal; litter-decomposing species -i.e.saprotrophs growing on litter �fallen leaves, fruits and little twigs); lignicolous species -i.e.fungi occurring saprotrophically on wood or parasitizing live trees.
The collected fungi were determined using mainly the following monographs and keys: H a n s e n and K n u d s e n �1992, 1997, 2000�, Ry v a r d e n and G i l b e r ts o n (1993,1994), Ru d n i c k a -J e z i e r s k a (1991), S k i r g i e ł ł o (1991,1998)

FINAL REMARKS
1.A total number of 79 species of macromycetes was recorded in the Dendrological Park of the Warsaw Agricultural University, mostly the Basidiomycetes ���.6%�.
and G u m i ń s k a (1997).The systematic division of fungi follows K i r k at al. (2001).Species names of the Ascomycetes are given according to H a n s e n and K n u d s e n (2000) while the nomenclature of the Basidiomycetes follows Wo j e w o d a (2003).

Fig. 3 .
Fig. 3.The largest glade, formed after the removal of dying trees in the Dendrological Park, and its surrounding area.Phot. A. Szczepkowski.