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Contributions to tropical fungi I. Ecology and distribution of fungi of Kenya (East Africa)
Author(s) -
Kost G.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
feddes repertorium
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.24
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 1522-239X
pISSN - 0014-8962
DOI - 10.1002/1522-239x(200205)113:1/2<132::aid-fedr132>3.0.co;2-9
Subject(s) - escarpment , ecology , vegetation (pathology) , temperate climate , geography , flora (microbiology) , rainforest , tropics , temperate rainforest , biology , forestry , ecosystem , archaeology , medicine , genetics , pathology , bacteria
An introduction to the results of fungal expeditions in the highland areas of Kenya (East Africa), such as Mt. Kenya, Aberdare Mts., Mt. Elgon, Kikuyu Escarpment, Ngong Hills is given. For the comparision of the fungal flora of the lower parts of Kenya fungi were collected and studied in the tropical lowland rain forest of Kakamega (Western Kenya) and in the Nairobi City park. Proof of 161 species of Macrofungi and ten Myxomycetes species is given. Different compositions of fungal species are characteristic to the higher plants vegetation in lowland rain forests, afromontane rain forests ( Podocarpus ‐forest, Arundinaria ‐zone), afroalpine vegetation and pine plantations. Lists of species are given and discussed. The fungal vegetation of the afromontane zone consists of some fungi distributed in the Tropics and also basidiomycetous species of the temperate zones. In higher mountain altitudes more temperate species can be found in habitats with an ecology similar to that in the temperate zone. Most of the members of the fungal vegetation collected in the pine plantations (mycorrhizal, litter decomposing wood inhabiting species) may have been introduced from foreign areas from which the planted trees came. In these areas, the indigenous fungal flora was substituted by introduced species as was the virgin forest was replaced by artificial forest plantations.