Species Composition and Environmental Associations of Macrofungi in Sungai Tua Forest, Malaysia

Abstract

Fungi play an important role in the nutrient cycle and in maintaining ecosystem stability in the forest environment. Environmental conditions and plant communities can significantly influence macrofungal diversity. Therefore, studying fungal communities is essential for developing effective forest management strategies, as fungi are key components of forest resilience and health. The study aimed to determine the diversity and ecological roles of macrofungi in Sungai Tua Forest, Selangor, Malaysia. Macrofungi were collected using an opportunistic sampling method, and species identification was conducted based on morphological and molecular analyses. A total of 454 macrofungal specimens were collected and identified as 27 species belonging to 18 genera, seven orders, and two phyla. Agaricales was the dominant order, followed by Polyporales, while Dacrymycetales, Pezizales, Xylariales, Russulales, and Gomphales were each represented by a single species. Sungai Tua Forest has high diversity values, with a Simpson index of 0.9485, a Shannon-Weiner index of 1.9788, and Pielou’s evenness index of 0.5938. Correlation analysis between fungal orders and environmental parameters shows that light intensity, temperature, and humidity were associated with the distribution of fungal groups, indicating that these factors influence macrofungal diversity.