Biodiversity of wood-destroying fungi in urban parks of Volgograd

Green spaces of the city play an important role in shaping the urban environment, participating in the regulation of the gas composition of the atmosphere, reducing its pollution, protecting it from the wind, and generally providing a microclimate that is favorable for humans. One of the main groups of diseases in urban plantations is lesions caused by wood-destroying fungi. The distribution of xylotrophs in urban conditions is associated with the peculiarity of the age structure of different types of urban plantations. Parasitic xylotrophs mainly infect middle-aged trees. The life expectancy of trees is affected bythe degree and duration of anthropogenic load. This explains the highest level of development of xylotrophs in parks, squares, boulevards, where trees reach a significant age than in plantations along highways with heavytraffic or near industrial enterprises. Green plantings of the city of Volgograd, which is a large industrial center, are subject to various diseases to a large extent compared to plants living in natural biocenoses. Due to the high anthropogenic load in urban parks, populations of xylotrophic fungi can reach high numbers, which can lead to detrimental consequences. Basidial xylotrophs show a selective attitude towards the type of substrate. The smallest number of species develops on stumps and dead wood, more on deadwood and live trees. The nature of the relationship between the identified fungal species and the substrates on which they develop is also important. Based on their trophic specialization and mode of feeding, the xylotrophic species found can be classified as saprotrophs and parasites. In the course of the study, route, microscopic and photographic methods were used. 33 species of xylotrophic fungi were found.