First Look at the Diversity of Macromycetes in the State Forests of the Tebessa Region, Algeria, North Africa

Abstract

Background and Aims : The state forests of the Tebessa region (extreme north-east of Algeria) are located in an altitudinal zone of 1000 to 1600m, with a semi-arid bioclimatic zone, are essentially composed of an association of the two species Pinus and Quercus. However, no ecological and taxonomic study of ectomycorrhizal forest fungi, as environmental bio-indicators has been conducted in this region. To this effect, the objective of our research is to gain knowledge of the fungal diversity in order to give a first overview of the Tebessian mycotaxonomy, for implementation a strategy adapted to determine the degree of degradation of these forest environments. 

Method : Field trips were made to the 13 selected sites, from September to June, for two years (2020-2022), at a rate of two trips per month. Carpophores harvested, were identified macro- and microscopically on the basis of the identification keys given in a specialised bibliography. The specimens were subsequently kept in the mycological herbarium of the research laboratory «Functional and Evolutive Ecology», Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, Chadli Bendjedid El Tarf University.

Results : A total of 22 taxa were identified and divided into 05 orders, 16 families and 21 genera. The most represented families are Agaricaceae, Tricholomataceae and Boletaceae. Ectomycorrhizal and saprophytic humicolous species are the most dominant. The ecology of the superior fungi collected revealed a close association between Quercus ilex and Leccinum lepidum, Astraeus hygrometricus, Cortinarius orellanus.

Conclusions : These preliminary data are integrated in the determination of the ectomycorrhizal fungal diversity of Algeria, which is still rare and little known. We can also, through the results obtained, put in place an appropriate strategy for determining the degree of degradation of these forest environments,