Mycophagy by invasive wild boar (Sus scrofa) facilitates dispersal of native and introduced mycorrhizal fungi in Patagonia, Argentina

GEML, JÓZSEF; IBARRA, CARLOS; DOMÍNGUEZ, LAURA S.; NOUHRA, EDUARDO R.; SOTERAS, FLORENCIA; BARRIOS-GARCÍA, M. NOELIA

FUNGAL ECOLOGY

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2017 vol. 26 p. 51 - 58

1754-5048

Fleshy hypogeous fungi produce scents that enable mycophagous mammals and invertebrates to locatethem and disperse their spores. The European wild boar (Sus scrofa) was introduced in central Argentinain 1900s and later expanded into Patagonia. Here, we determined the diversity and abundance of fungaltaxa, and the frequency of hypogeous fungal spores in wild boar feces in Patagonia. We collected fecalsamples on Isla Victoria, Nahuel Huapi National Park, and identified fungi using microscope and DNAmetabarcoding of ITS2 rDNA. Hypogeous fungal spores occurred in almost all fecal samples. The mostabundant species belonged to the genera Hysterangium, Melanogaster, Radiigera and Gautieria. In additionto the symbiotrophic hypogeous taxa, we also identified numerous pathotrophic and saprotrophic taxa.Not only diverse native hypogeous fungi, but also introduced ones are part of the diet of the wild boar inforests of Patagonia. If viable, introduced fungi are being dispersed as far as 2.5 km from the nearestplantation, highlighting how the introduced wild boar might alter the local distribution and compositionof fungal communities.