DOI 10.1007/s00300-008-0578-xORIGINAL PAPER Fungal diversity and deterioration in mummiWed woods from the ad Astra Ice Cap region in the Canadian High Arctic

• Main Author: Timothy R. Filley
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ad Astra Ice Cap; Arctic; Canada; Ellesmere Island; Ice cap
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.518.4455; http://forestpathology.cfans.umn.edu/pdf/PolarBiologyFossilWood.pdf

Abstract Non-permineralized or mummiWed ancient wood found within proglacial soil near the ad Astra Ice Cap (81°N, 76°W), Ellesmere Island, Canada was investigated to ascertain the identiWcation of the trees, current morphological and chemical characteristics of the woods and the fungi within them. These woods, identiWed as Betula, Larix, Picea and Pinus, were found with varying states of physical and chemical degradation. Modern microbial decomposition caused by soft rot fungi was evident and rDNA sequencing of fungi obtained from the samples revealed several species including Cadophora sp., Exophiala sp., Phialocephala sp., as well as others. Analyt-ical 13C-labeled tetramethylammonium hydroxide thermo-chemolysis showed the lignin from the ancient wood was in a high degree of preservation with minor side chain alteration and little to no demethylation or ring hydroxyl-ation. The exposure of these ancient woods to the young soils, where woody debris is not usually prevalent, provides carbon and nutrients into the polar environment that are captured and utilized by unique decay fungi at this Arctic site.