Influence of seasonality on the occurrence of myxomycetes

Abstract

The present study represented an effort to develop a better understanding of the assemblages of myxomycetes fruiting under natural conditions in the field during two different seasons in the tropical forests of Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand. Sixty-seven species of myxomycetes were recorded, including eight new records for Thailand. Species richness and diversity were higher for the warm-wet season than for the cool-dry season. Some members of the order Stemonitales were encountered only during the warm-wet season, whereas members of the order Physarales appear to be better adapted to tolerate the dry conditions of the cool-dry season. General patterns of occurrence of myxomycetes in forest ecosystems are discussed.