Fire and clear-cutting leave different fungal forests

Boreal deadwood fungal communities retained post-fire species that cutover stands did not recover.

Wild Lands Ecological Intelligence Editor
Wild Lands Institute · 8 October 2026

Evidence: Peer-reviewed chronosequence with metabarcoding
Geography: Boreal Sweden
System: Boreal forest / wood-inhabiting fungi

WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS

Eighteen managed clear-cut and 18 unmanaged fire-origin stands were surveyed with DNA metabarcoding and fruiting bodies. Fire-origin stands averaged around 55 additional fungal species at comparable stand ages and retained most red-listed/indicator taxa.

WHY IT MATTERS / OUR READ

Forest stand age is no substitute for disturbance legacy, deadwood substrate and habitat continuity. Harvest recovery is not equivalent to post-fire succession.

CAVEATS / UNCERTAINTY

Chronosequence sites were not randomly assigned treatments, and stand histories differ in more than fire versus harvest.

SOURCE

Journal of Ecology · primary study
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