XVI International Botanical Congess

Soil fungi are active participants in the decomposition of organic matter in desert ecosystems. However, to what extent functional diversity influences decomposition and other ecosystem processes is unclear. Using the FungiLog procedure which tests the ability of fungi to use 95 individual carbon substrates, we are examining the seasonal patterns in functional diversity of soil fungi assemblages for five different vegetation types along a watershed in the Chihuahuan Desert at Big Bend National Park. Vegetation along the watershed ranges from oak-pine-juniper dominated highlands to creosotebush and cactus-succulent dominated lowlands. Soil samples from each vegetation zone will be collected 3 times a year for 2 consecutive years and functional diversity evaluated. Preliminary results indicate that functional diversity is highest for the forested locations.