Report
Pyrophilous fungi in Canary Island pine forests: what the available evidence allows us to say
The studies available here do not provide a catalogue of pyrophilous fungi in Canary Island pine forests or dates for their appearance after fire. They do offer an experiment on germination and soil extracts, and a study tracking biodiversity after the Tajogaite eruption that reports no findings on fungi.
No catalogue in the available sources
The studies gathered here cannot answer the question of which pyrophilous fungi have been recorded in Canary Island pine forests or when they appear after fire: none provides an inventory of these fungi or a timeline of their appearance. This summary therefore has a more limited scope: it distinguishes what has been investigated about germination and soils from what remains undocumented in these sources.
Soil extracts, but no fungal identifications
An experiment with seven plant species from Canary Island pine forests assessed germination responses to drought, heat, smoke, ash, and soil and microbial extracts. Results varied among species: drought reduced germination in some, while ash promoted it in Canary Island pine and another species; extracts also had different effects depending on the plant. The study examines seed responses under experimental conditions: it does not identify which fungi are present in the soil or allow the effects to be attributed to a particular fungal taxon.
Tajogaite: monitoring a different disturbance
After the Tajogaite eruption on La Palma, another study tracked plots of Canary Island pine forest for two years and described changes in several groups of organisms. The available summary mentions plants, invertebrates, lizards, birds, and bats, but presents no records or findings about fungi. In addition, the volcanic eruption studied should not be confused with an inventory of fungi following forest fires.
What remains to be established
These sources do not allow us to provide a reliable list of pyrophilous fungi species in the Canary Islands' pine forests or indicate when they appear after a fire. Findings on soil extracts can help frame questions about regeneration, but they are not a substitute for observations or inventories of fungi. Fungal succession after fire falls outside what these studies allow us to claim.
Sources and method
This story synthesises the references below and separates possible observations from conclusions that would need more evidence. It does not present original FaunaGuide fieldwork or replace expert identification.
- Drought, Ash and Soil Legacies Shape Seed Germination ... — Drought, Ash and Soil Legacies Shape Seed Germination Responses in Pinus canariensis C. Sm. & DC. Forests Fire plays a central role in shaping regeneration dynamics in Pinus canariensis C. Sm. & DC. forests, yet the relative importance of different fire-r
- Ecological resilience and biodiversity dynamics of an Island ... — Ecological resilience and biodiversity dynamics of an Island forest following a volcanic eruption Volcanic eruptions are complex natural disturbances with profound effects on ecosystems; however, detailed studies on their spatio-temporal impacts remain sc