XVI International Botanical Congess

A microtiter plate method (FungiLog) was used to detect patterns of fungal functional diversity (FFD) using decaying Agave lechuguilla leaves placed in 5 vegetation zones along an elevational gradient in Big Bend Ntl. Park, TX. Sites ranged from a high elevational oak-pine forest to a lowland Chihuahuan Desert scrub. Ten, preweighed, 10-cm pieces of leaves were collected from each zone, 5 per transect, after 6, 12, and 18 mo of decomposition. FungiLog data were used to calculate two measures of FFD, substrate richness (SR) and total activity (TA). Differences in SR and TA were detected among the low and the high elevational sites at all stages of decay. The high elevational, oak juniper zone demonstrated consistently greater litter decomposition and FFD than all other zones. Lower elevational zones tended to have lower FFD and low decomposition rates.