Ecological aspects of myxomycete assemblages in two Brazilian Cerrado landscapes

Abstract

We investigated the ecological aspects of the myxobiota associated with both the mesophilic and gallery forests from a fragment of the Cerrado biome located in the municipality of Anápolis, Goiás, Brazil. Myxomycete assemblages were sampled in pre-established plots and compared using basic ecological calculations (α and β diversity, richness, abundance, similarity, evenness, functional diversity, and substrate ecology). A total of 55 records were obtained, corresponding to 19 species, 10 genera, and eight families. Of these, 37% were exclusive to the gallery forest, 26% to the mesophilic forest, and 37% common in both. No differences were found between species richness and composition between areas, however, the greater abundance and greater number of exclusive species in the gallery forest are suggestive of better conditions and resources for myxomycete communities in this forest formation. Furthermore, species were found to have different functional characteristics between the compared areas, which seemed to show a relationship with forest structure and the complexity of the niches. This is one of the first studies on the ecology of myxomycetes in the Cerrado biome providing relevant preliminary data for further research to be carried out in areas with little monitoring.