Competition and replacement interactions between species of
wood-decomposing basidiomycetes were studied with a culture
technique using various sized pieces taken from 6 cm diam. wood discs as
a
substrate. Based on field studies, 17 species of
basidiomycetes, either primary decayers or late successional saprotrophs
which show strict dependencies on certain preceding
pioneer decayers in the field, were isolated and inoculated on the wood
sectors. After precolonization, the sectors were attached to
each other pairwise in various species combinations and incubated on
water agar. The discs were regularly inspected and
photographed for detection of mycelial overgrowth. After 6 months, samples
were taken from the wood of the sectors and cultured
for identification of prevailing mycelia. Measured by the replacement of
opposing fungi, the selective late successional species are
more combative than the primary decayers. Species of Antrodiella
had the greatest competitive success. The results of our
experiment corresponds well with field observations and explain, at
least partly, the physiological background of the interactions.