Annotated Checklist of Poroid Hymenochaetoid Fungi in Central Asia: Taxonomic Diversity, Ecological Roles, and Potential Distribution Patterns

Gafforov Y. Yarasheva M. Wang X.-W. Rašeta M. Rakhimova Y. Kyzmetova L. Bavlankulova K. Rapior S. Chen J.-J. Langer E. Munnavarov B. Aslonov Z. Bakokhoja B. Zhou L.-W.
January 2025 Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)

Journal of Fungi
2025 #11 Issue 1

Central Asia, located at the heart of Eurasia, is renowned for its varied climate and vertical vegetative distribution, which support diverse biomes and position it as a global biodiversity hotspot. Despite this ecological richness, Central Asia’s fungal diversity, particularly wood-inhabiting macrofungi, remains largely unexplored. This study investigates the diversity, ecological roles, and potential distribution of poroid Hymenochaetoid fungi in the region. By conducting field surveys, collecting basidiomes, and reviewing the literature and herbarium records from five Central Asian countries, we compiled a comprehensive checklist of these fungi. In total, 43 Hymenochaetoid species belonging to 18 genera were identified, with Inonotus, Phellinus, and Phylloporia being the most species-rich. Notably, Inonotus hispidus and Phellinus igniarius were found to be the most widespread species. These macrofungi play essential ecological roles as saprotrophs and pathogens of various identified host plant families, aiding in lignin degradation and exhibiting diverse enzymatic activities. For the first time, we modelled the potential distribution patterns of Hymenochaetoid fungi in Central Asia, revealing that their distribution is strongly influenced by host plant availability and temperature-related factors. The three most critical variables were host plant density, annual temperature range (Bio7), and mean temperature of the warmest quarter (Bio10). The distribution of suitable habitats is uneven, with highly suitable areas (4.52%) concentrated in the mountainous border regions between Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. These results underscore the significance of specific environmental conditions for the growth and survival of Hymenochaetoid fungi in this region. Our findings highlight the urgent need for continued mycological and host plant research and expanded conservation initiatives to document and preserve macrofungal and botanical biodiversity in this under-explored area. In light of climate change, the collected mycological and botanical data provide a valuable reference for promoting forest health management globally.

basidiomycetes , conservation , ecological functions , forest macrofungi diversity , fungal taxonomy , habitat modeling , host preferences , Hymenochaetaceae , wood-inhabiting macrofungi

Text of the article Перейти на текст статьи

Central Asian Center of Development Studies, New Uzbekistan University, Tashkent, 100007, Uzbekistan
Mycology Laboratory, Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences of Republic of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, 100125, Uzbekistan
State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
Microbiology Laboratory, Navruz International Corp. LLC., Kibray, Salar Settlement, 111219, Uzbekistan
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, 21000, Serbia
Mycology and Algology Laboratory, Institute of Botany and Phytointroduction, Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan
Laboratory of Mycology and Phytopathology, Institute of Biology, National Academy of Sciences, Bishkek, 720071, Kyrgyzstan
CEFE, University of Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, 15 Avenue Charles Flahault, Montpellier Cedex 5, 34093, France
College of Landscape Architecture, Jiangsu Vocational College of Agriculture and Forestry, Zhenjiang, 212400, China
Department of Ecology, University of Kassel, Kassel, 34132, Germany
Tashkent State Dental Institute, Tashkent, 100047, Uzbekistan
Institute of Botany, Plants Phisyology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, Dushanbe, 734042, Tajikistan

Central Asian Center of Development Studies
Mycology Laboratory
State Key Laboratory of Mycology
Microbiology Laboratory
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Department of Chemistry
Mycology and Algology Laboratory
Laboratory of Mycology and Phytopathology
CEFE
College of Landscape Architecture
Department of Ecology
Tashkent State Dental Institute
Institute of Botany

10 лет помогаем публиковать статьи Международный издатель

Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026