Alteration of soil mycobiome in Israeli pine forest affected by forest thinning

Fungi are very important members of the ecological system and play important role in the forest. The state of soil mycobiome may reflect forest health and it`s productivity and it is affected by the local climate conditions as well as nutritional conditions. Fungal soil diversity in Pine forest subjected to range of thinning regimes was studied using NGS approach, in LTER (Long-Term Ecological Research) at Jerusalem Mountains. Comparison of fungal soil diversity recorded from uncut, gradually cut or totally cut sites showed alteration of fungal species composition as well as fungal ecological group composition. Reducing forest density was accompanied by decreasing fungal species and alteration of fungal phyla composition. Moreover, it reduced also the rate of saprotrophs and pathotropes while increasing rate of symbiotic fungal species. These changes may, in turn, influence the forest health.