Implications of the role of dispersal on the occurrence of litter-inhabiting myxomycetes in different vegetation types after a disturbance: a case study in Bohol Islands, Philippines

The assemblages of myxomycetes associated with ground litter in seven different study sites situated along a disturbance gradient on the Bohol Islands in the Philippines were studied using exclusively the moist chamber culture technique. The disturbance gradient, which was also characterized by differences in plant community types, resulted from a major typhoon (Haiyan) that affected the islands following a 7.2 magnitude earthquake. These assemblages were analyzed using several software programs and abundance-based data for the evaluation of species richness, composition, and α and β diversity of myxomycetes in the various study sites. The results suggested that environmental alterations could be a factor affecting the abundance of myxomycetes in different habitats, and that dispersal plays a role in shaping the patterns of distribution of assemblages of myxomycetes associated with particular plant communities. In addition, the present study pointed out the need for an extensive survey to assess the impacts of conservation and restoration for areas that are susceptible to ecological shifts, such as events caused by the changing global climate.