FUNGI AND DECAY IN ASPEN AND BALSAM POPLAR IN THE BOREAL FOREST REGION, ALBERTA

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Abstract
Examination of 835 living trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) and 527 balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera L.) on 47 sample plots of mixed-wood forest of the Boreal Forest Region, Alberta, showed 73% of the aspen and 61% of the balsam poplar to be decayed. Additional trees of both species were infected by stain-producing fungi. The incidence of infection in aspen decreased from mesic sites to dry sites, while that for balsam poplar was about the same in mesic and wet sites. Fomes igniarius (L. ex Fr.) Kickx was the first ranking fungus in both hosts in terms of associated decay. It had the greatest incidence of all fungi in aspen but ranked third to Pholiota spectabilis (Fr.) Quél. and Polyporus aduslus Willd. ex Fr. in balsam poplar. Corticium polygonium Pers. and Radulum casearium (Morg.) Lloyd together caused about as much decay in aspen as did Fomes igniarius, although neither fungus occurred in balsam poplar. Contrary to its generally low incidence in balsam poplar, Pholiota destruens (Brond.) Quél. caused most of the decay in this host, excepting that ascribed to Fomes igniarius. Pholiola destruens did not occur in aspen. Many fungi caused both basal and stem infections in both hosts, while few caused infections of one type only. Armillaria mellea (Vahl ex Fr.) Quél. caused the greatest number of basal infections in aspen but was exceeded by Pholiota spectabilis in balsam poplar. The greatest amount of butt decay was ascribed to Phlebia strigosozonala (Schw.) Lloyd in aspen and to Pholiota spectabilis in balsam poplar. The overall losses of volume due to decay were 25% and 10%, respectively, for aspen and balsam poplar.

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