Fungi inhabiting bark stripping wounds made by large game on stems of picea abies (L.) Karst. in Latvia

In the last decade the populations of large game as moose and red deer have increased in Latvia, and the risk of damage to forest stands has increased simultaneously. The aim of this study was to evaluate the extent of bark stripping wounds, decay incidence and associated fungi in 30-year-old Picea abies stems damaged by big game. In total, 90 trees were evaluated and 157 bark stripping wounds of different age (1-10 years) were measured. From each wound margin one wood sample was collected for evaluation of presence of decay and subsequent fungal isolation. Decay was found in 13-50% of investigated wounded P. abies trees depending on study site (mean 26.7%). All injuries were open wounds. Area of exposed sapwood was 7 – 6142 cm². The most commonly isolated fungi were ascomycetes Neonectria fuckeliana, Sarea difformis and Phialocephala sp., and basidiomycetes Cylindrobasidium evolvens and Amylostereum areolatum.