Xiao-Min Wang

Cadmium and arsenic accumulation during soil-covered cultivation of Morchella sextelata limits its production in contaminated soils. Two Mg/Al-layered double hydroxide–biochar (LB) composites were prepared using grinding-assisted and coprecipitation procedures and denoted as LB1 and LB2, respectively. The composites were evaluated at 2% (w/w) through a 15 d soil incubation experiment and a staged basket-cultivation experiment with three independent replicates. During incubation, LB2 significantly decreased NH₄H₂PO₄-extractable As and DTPA-extractable Cd by 28.6% and 29.1%, respectively. Sequential extraction showed that LB1 increased the operationally defined residual Cd fraction, whereas LB2 increased the oxidizable Cd fraction and produced the lowest extractable Cd and As concentrations. During cultivation, LB1 reduced total As accumulation in dry fruiting bodies by 53.9%, whereas LB2 reduced Cd accumulation by 40.0%. Amendment-induced changes in soil carbon fractions were associated with Cd and As partitioning and fruiting-body accumulation, although these correlations did not establish causality. The two as-prepared composites therefore produced distinct metal-specific responses under the tested conditions.

Nine collections of gymnopoid fungi were studied based on morpho-molecular characteristics. The macromorphology was made according to the photograph of fresh basidiomata and field notes, while the micromorphology was examined via an optical microscope. Simultaneously, the phylogenetic analyses were performed by maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods based on a combined dataset of nrITS1-nr5.8S-nrITS2-nrLSU sequences. Integrated analysis of these results was therefore, G. efibulatus belonging to sect. Androsacei, G. iodes and G. sinopolyphyllus belonging to sect. Impudicae and G. strigosipes belonging to sect. Levipedes are proposed as new to science. The detailed descriptions, colour photos of basidiomata and line-drawings of microscopic structures are provided. The comparisons with closely related species and a key to known species of Gymnopus s. str. reported with morpho-molecular evidence in China is also given.

The family Boletaceae primarily represents ectomycorrhizal fungi, which play an essential ecological role in forest ecosystems. Although the Boletaceae family has been subject to a relatively global and comprehensive history of work, novel species and genera are continually described. During this investigation in northern China, many specimens of boletoid fungi were collected. Based on the study of their morphology and phylogeny, four new species, Butyriboletus pseudoroseoflavus, Butyriboletus subregius, Tengioboletus subglutinosus, and Suillellus lacrymibasidiatus, are introduced. Morphological evidence and phylogenetic analyses of the single or combined dataset (ITS or 28S, rpb1, rpb2, and tef1) confirmed these to be four new species. The evidence and analyses indicated the new species’ relationships with other species within their genera. Detailed descriptions, color photographs, and line drawings are provided. The species of Butyriboletus in China were compared in detail and the worldwide keys of Tengioboletus and Suillellus were given.