Trip to Chondrostereum & Poplar Polder (Flevoland, Netherlands)

[meindert de jong <^_^>]

  Past Friday I visited an amateur mycologist at Flevoland. I
  would like to know something about the natural occurrence of
  Chondrostereum pupureum in this Dutch polders.
  There appears to be an overwhelming abundance of carpophores
  of Chondrostereum purpureum in this newly formed Dutch polder
  due to many clearcuttings of poplar forests and logging. I saw
  for instance a heap of more than hundred poplar stems of one
  year old with on each sawing area (2) more than A=100 cm2 area
  of fructifications. Due to the very fast fungal succession (and 
  a few nights with frost) all basidiocarps had turned brown and 
  were disappearing.
  There appears to be an unusual rapid fungal succession on wood
  stumps and wood logs in this new Dutch polder. On one year old
  poplar logs, I already noted toadstools of Ozonium coprinus,
  Pholiota destruens, the so-called "wimperzwammetje" (Scutelli-
  nia scutellata), many Nectria spp. etc.
  Cylindrobasidium evolvens and C. purpureum is an often found
  association on poplar logs and stumps (For a description with
  photo you should consult Jahn (1979); Pilze die an Holz wach-
  sen, pp.88-89) I saw many resprouting poplar logs laying onto
  the ground. Most poplar forests happen to be about 20 years
  old. The coming years many clearcuts are to be expected. This
  will be followed by a long clearcut break.
  Besides we notified leaves of maple with a leaf spot disease:
  dark leaf spots surrounded by a light green zone (caused by
  the "inktvlekkenzwam" (Rhytisma acerinum)). It is an ascomy-
  cete which sporulates in April and May. This is an indication
  of clean air (less air pollution).
  Back home we isolated a few cultures from the spore shedding of
  sampled basidiocarps.

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Sincerely Yours, dr Meindert D. de Jong          | seeking a
E-mail: Vlinders at RCL.WAU.NL                      |  telejob
Voice: (+31) 8370 21937  FAX: (+31) 8370 23110
Photo:de Jong e.a.'90. Risk Analysis for Biological  Control.  
A Dutch case study in biocontrol.. Plant Disease 74: 189-194.
Letter to the Editor '92: Risk Assessment for the Application
Biological Control of Forest Weed by Fungus.Risk Analysis 12: