Donkioporia expansa (Fungi, Basidiomycota), an indoor wood destroyer, is also a prominent species of thermophilic old-growth forests with oak
Keywords:
Czechia, natural forests, Quercus petraea, Quercus cerris, Slovakia, wood decayAbstract
The study deals with a rare polypore Donkioporia expansa and environmental parameters of its habitats, primarily using data from newly discovered sites in Slovakia and Czechia. This species prefers either thermophilic forests of lower altitudes, with dominant Sessile oak (Quercus petraea) or Turkey oak (Quercus cerris), or steep, sun-exposed slopes situated at higher elevations (350–676 m). All records in nature are from old-growth forests and oak wood in advanced initial to moderate decay stages. The occurrences in buildings are secondary; the fungus was likely introduced there either in construction timber or via spores. The growth conditions of D. expansa mycelium and basidiomata are summarized. Despite the increase of the number of recent localities and records, the species is rare and deserves both inclusion in Red Lists and protection. Its survival in most localities is ensured because most of them are in nature reserves.
References
Adan, O.C.G., Samson, R.A. (eds), 2011. Fundamentals
of mold growth in indoor environments and strategies
for healthy living. Wageningen: Wageningen Academic
Publishers. https://doi.org/10.3920/978-90-8686-722-6
Adamčík, S., Aude, E., Bässler, C., Christensen, M., Dort,
K. van, Fritz, Ö., Glejdura, S., Heilmann-Clausen,
J., Holec, J., Jančovičová, S., Kunca, V., Lackovi-
čová, A., Lüth, M., Ódor, P., 2016. Fungi and lichens
recorded during the Cryptogam Symposium on Natural
Beech Forests, Slovakia 2011. Czech Mycology, 68 (1):
1−40. https://doi.org/10.33585/cmy.68101
Andres, B., Krajewski, K.J., Betlej, I., 2022. Diversity of
indoor wood decaying fungi in Poland. BioResources,
17 (3): 4856–4869. https://doi.org/10.15376/biores.
17.3.4856-4869
Antonelli, A., Teisher, J.K., Smith, R.J., Ainsworth, A.M.,
Furci, G., Gaya, E., Gonçalves, S.C., Hawksworth,
D.L., Larridon, I., Sessa, E.B., Simões, A.R.G., Suz,
L.M., Acedo, C., Aghayeva, D.N., Agorini, A.A., Al
Harthy, L S., Bacon, K.L., Chávez-Hernández, M.G.,
Colli-Silva, M., … Williams, C., 2025. The 2030
Declaration on Scientific Plant and Fungal Collecting.
Plants, People, Planet, 7 (1): 11–22. https://doi.org/
10.1002/ppp3.10569
Behnke-Borowczyk, J., Kwaśna, H., Kokot, K., Hałusz-
czak, M., Łakomy, P., 2018. Abundance and diversity
of fungi in oak wood. Dendrobiology, 80: 143–160.
http://dx.doi.org/10.12657/denbio.080.014
Bernicchia, A., Gorjón, S.P., 2020. Polypores of the Medi-
terranean Region. Romar: Segrate. 903 p.
Bobeková, E., Tomšovský, M., Horáček, P., 2008. Applica-
tion of molecular genetic methods for identification of
wood-decaying fungi in wood constructions. Acta Uni-
versitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Bru-
nensis, 56 (2): 281–284.
Brang, P., Schönenberger, W., Frehner, M., Schwitter,
R., Thormann, J.J., Wasser, B., 2006. Management of
protection forests in the European Alps: an overview.
Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, 80 (1): 23–44.
Chytrý, M., Kučera, T., Kočí, M., Grulich, V., Lustyk, P.
(eds), 2010. Katalog biotopů České republiky [Habitat
catalogue of the Czech Republic]. 2. ed. Praha: Agentura
ochrany přírody a krajiny ČR. 447 p. (In Czech).
Copoț, O., Mardari, C., Bîrsan, C.C., Tănase, C., 2020.
Lignicolous fungal assemblages and relationships with
environment in broadleaved and mixed forests from the
North-East Region of Romania. Plant Ecology and
Evolution, 153 (1): 45–58. https://doi.org/10.5091/
plecevo.2020.1688
Csiky, J., Širka, P., Kubešová, S., Sabovljevic, M.S., Sipos,
A., Pulišová, K., Turis, P., Vlčko, J., Buczkó, K., Kar-
dos, L.V., Kunca, V., Papp, B., Erzberger, P., Dřevo-
jan, P., Hrivnák, R., Ódor, P., Baráth, K., 2025. New
records and noteworthy data of plants, algae and fungi
in Central Europe and adjacent regions, 1. Comprehensive
Plant Biology, 49 (2): 381–392. https://doi.org/10.2298/
CPB2502381C
Dai, Y.C., 2012. Polypore diversity in China with an anno-
tated checklist of Chinese polypores. Mycoscience, 53
(1): 49–80.
Dvořák, D., Vašutová, M., Hofmeister, J., Beran, M.,
Hošek, J., Běťák, J., Burel, J., Deckerová, H., 2017.
Macrofungal diversity patterns in central European fore-
sts affirm the key importance of old-growth forests.
Fungal Ecology, 27: 145–154. DOI: 10.1016/j.funeco.
2016.12.003
Edman, M., Hagos, S., Fredrik, C., 2021. Warming effects
on wood decomposition depend on fungal assembly
history. Journal of Ecology, 109: 1919–1930. https://
doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13617
Ferenčík, M., Svitok, M., Mikoláš, M., Hofmeister, J.,
Majdanová, L., Vostarek, O., Kozák, D., Bače, R.,
Begovič, K., Běťák, J., Čada, V., Dušátko, M., Dvo-
řák, D., Frankovič, M., Gloor, R., Janda, P., Kame-
niar, O., Kříž, M., Kunca, V., Markuljaková, K.,
Ralhan, D., Rodrigo, R., Rydval, M., Pavlin, J.,
Pouska, V., Synek, M., Zemlerová, V., Svoboda, M.,
2022. Spatial and temporal extents of natural distur-
bances differentiate deadwood-inhabiting fungal com-
munities in spruce primary forest ecosystems. Forest
Ecology and Management, 517: 120272. https://doi.org/
262
10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120272
Fraiture, A., 2008. Introduction à la mycologie domestique:
Les champignons qui croissent dans les maisons [Intro-
duction to domestic mycology: The fungi that grow in
houses]. Revue du Cercle de Mycologie de Bruxelles, 8:
25–56. (In French).
Haas, D., Mayrhofer, H., Habib, J., Galler, H., Reinthaler,
F.F., Fuxjäger, M.L., Buzina, W., 2019. Distribution
of building-associated wood-destroying fungi in the fede-
ral state of Styria, Austria. European Journal of Wood
and Wood Products, 77: 527–537. https://doi.org/10.1007/
s00107-019-01407-w
Heilmann-Clausen, J., 2001. A gradient analysis of comm-
unities of macrofungi and slime moulds on decaying
beech logs. Mycological Research, 105: 575–596.
Hofmann, B., Dreyling, L., Dal Grande, F., Otte, J.,
Schmitt, I., 2023. Habitat and tree species identity
shape aboveground and belowground fungal communi-
ties in central European forests. Frontiers in Microbiolo-
gy, 14: 1067906. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1067906
Holec, J., Běťák, J., Dvořák, D., Kříž, M., Kuchaříková, M.,
Krzyściak-Kosińska, R., Kučera, T., 2019a. Macro-
fungi on fallen oak trunks in the Białowieża Virgin Fo-
rest – ecological role of trunk parameters and surround-
ing vegetation. Czech Mycology, 71 (1): 65–89. https://
doi.org/10.33585/cmy.71105
Holec, J., Dvořák, D., Zíbarová, L., Beran, M., Peiger, M.,
Kunca, V., 2023. Mycena laevigata in the heart of Central
Europe – a prominent species of old-growth forests.
Czech Mycology, 75 (1): 35–52. https://doi.org/10.33585/
cmy.75103
Holec, J., Holcová, K., Žák, M., 2022. Diversity and ecolo-
gy of macrofungi on large decaying spruce trunks: what
has changed after five years? Sydowia, 75: 23–35 https://
doi.org/10.12905/0380.sydowia75-2023-0023
Holec, J., Hubený, P., Kučera, T., 2024. Naturalness is key:
high species richness of wood-inhabiting fungi does not
automatically mean high species quality. Sydowia, 76:
279–295. DOI: 10.12905/0380.sydowia76-2024-0279
Holec, J., Kučera, T., 2020. Richness and composition of
macrofungi on large decaying trees in a Central Euro-
pean old-growth forest: a case study on silver fir (Abies
alba). Mycological Progress, 19 (12): 1429–1443. https:
//doi.org/10.1007/s11557-020-01637-w
Holec, J., Kunca, V., Kolařík, M., 2019b. Tricholomopsis
badinensis sp. nov. and T. sulphureoides – two rare fun-
gi of European old-growth forests. Mycological Prog-
ress, 18: 321–334. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11557-018-
1449-7
Holec, J., Kunca, V., Vampola, P., Beran, M., 2019c. Where
to look for basidiomata of Phellinidium pouzarii (Fungi,
Hymenochaetaceae), a rare European polypore of mon-
tane old-growth forests with fir (Abies)? Nova Hedwi-
gia, 109 (3-4): 379–397. DOI: 10.1127/nova_hedwigia/
2019/0555
Iršėnaitė, R., Kutorga, E., 2006. Diversity of fungi on
decaying common oak coarse woody debris. Ekologija,
4: 22–30.
Jasík, M., Polák, P., Vysoký, J., 2017. Výsledky inventarizácie
pralesov na Slovensku v rokoch 2009–2015 [The results
of an old-growth forests inventory in Slovakia in 2009–
2015]. Naturae Tutela, 21 (2): 153–184. (In Slovak with
English summary).
Kleist, G., Seehann, G., 1999. Der Eichenporling, Donkio-
poria expansa ein wenig bekannter Holzzerstörer in Ge-
bäuden [Donkioporia expansa – a lesser known wood
destroyer in buildings]. Zeitschrift für Mykologie, 65 (1):
23–32. (In German).
Kolényová, M., Běťák, J., Zíbarová, L., Dvořák, D., Beran,
M., Heilmann-Clausen, J., 2024. Microhabitat diversity
– a crucial factor shaping macrofungal communities and
morphological trait expression in dead wood. Fungal
Ecology, 71: 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funeco.2024.
101360
Komonen, A., Puumala, I., Várkonyi, G., Penttilä, R., 2021.
Wood-decaying fungi in old-growth boreal forest frag-
ments: extinctions and colonizations over 20 years. Sil-
va Fennica, 55 (1): 10491. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.10491
Korhonen, A., Miettinen, O., Kotze, J. D., Hamberg, L.,
2022. Landscape context and substrate characteristics
shape fungal communities of dead spruce in urban and
semi-natural forests. Environmental Microbiology, 24 (8):
3451–3462. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.15903
Kotlaba, F., 1984. Zeměpisné rozšíření a ekologie chorošů
(Polyporales s. l.) v Československu [Geographical
distribution and ecology of polypores (Polyporales s. l.)
in Czechoslovakia]. Praha: Academia. 194 p. (In Czech).
Krah, F.-S., Seibold, S., Brandl, R., Baldrian, P., Müller, J.,
Bässler, C., 2018. Independent effects of host and envi-
ronment on the diversity of wood-inhabiting fungi. Jour-
nal of Ecology, 106: 1428–1442. https://doi.org/10.1111/
1365-2745.12939
Kunca, V., Čiliak, M., 2025. Trunk characteristics of silver
fir (Abies alba) drive macrofungal species richness and
community composition in a mixed temperate old-growth
forest. Sydowia, 77: 93–109. DOI: 10.12905/0380.sydowia77
-2025-0093
Kunca, V., Holec, J., Olah, B., Zehnálek, P., Kučera, T.,
2024. Pogonoloma macrorhizum (Basidiomycota, Aga-
ricales) in Slovak landscape: a distinct fungus of Quer-
cus cerris stands transitional in space and time. Biologia,
79 (9): 2977–2991. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11756-024-
01749-8
Kunca, V., Peiger, M., Tomka, P., Vampola, P., 2022. Old-
growth forest fungi – new localities and habitat and host
preferences in Slovakia (I.). Czech Mycology, 74 (1):
33–55. DOI: 10.33585/cmy.74103
Majdanová, L., Hofmeister, J., Pouska, V., Mikoláš, M.,
Zíbarová, L., Vítková, L., Svoboda, M., Čada, V., 2023.
Old-growth forests with long continuity are essential for
preserving rare wood-inhabiting fungi. Forest Ecology
and Management, 541: 121055. https://doi.org/10.1016/
j.foreco.2023.121055
Máliš, F., Ujházy, K., Hederová, L., Ujházyová, M., Csöl-
leová, L., Coomes, D., Zellweger, F., 2023. Microcli-
mate variation and recovery time in managed and old-
growth temperate forests. Agricultural and Forest Me-
teorology, 342: 109722. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agr-
formet.2023.109722
Marčiulynas, A., Menkis, A., 2024. Long-term dynamics
of fungal communities inhabiting decaying stumps of
Quercus robur. Microbial Ecology, 87: 27. https://doi.org/
10.1007/s00248-023-02334-3
Mikoláš, M., Ujházy, K., Jasík, M., Wiezik, M., Gallay, I.,
Polák, P., Vysoký, J., Čiliak, M., Meigs, G. W., Svo-
boda, M., Trotsiuk, V., Keeton, W.S., 2019. Primary
forest distribution and representation in a Central Euro-
pean landscape: results of a large-scale field-based census.
263
Forest Ecology and Management, 449: 117466. https://
doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2019.117466
Minh, B.Q., Schmidt, H.A., Chernomor, O., Schrempf, D.,
Woodhams, M.D., von Haeseler, A., Lanfear, R.,
2020. IQ-TREE 2020. IQ-TREE 2: new models and effi-
cient methods for phylogenetic inference in the genomic
era. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 37 (5): 1530–1534.
https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaa015
Nirhamo, A., Aakala, T., Kouki, J., 2025. Forest biodiver-
sity in boreal Europe: species richness and turnover among
old-growth forests, managed forests and clearcut sites.
Biological Conservation, 306: 111147. https://doi.org/10.
1016/j.biocon.2025.111147
Ponce, Á., Salerni, E., D’Aguanno, M.N., Perini, C., 2023.
Wood-decay fungi fructifying in Mediterranean decidu-
ous oak forests: a community composition, richness and
productivity study. Forests, 14 (7): 1326. https://doi.org/
10.3390/f14071326
Pouska, V., Macek, P., Zíbarová, L., 2016. The relation of
fungal communities to wood microclimate in a mountain
spruce forest. Fungal Ecology, 21: 1–9. https://doi.org/
10.1016/j.funeco.2016.01.006
Rivoire, B., 2020. Polypores de France et d'Europe. Orliénas:
Mycopolydev. 874 p.
Ryvarden, L., Gilbertson, R.L., 1993. European polypores.
Part 1. Synopsis Fungorum, vol. 6. Oslo: Fungiflora. 387 p.
Ryvarden, L., Gilbertson, R.L., 1994. European polypores.
Part 2. Synopsis Fungorum, vol. 7. Oslo: Fungiflora, p.
394–743..
Ryvarden, L., Melo, I., 2017. Poroid fungi of Europe. 2nd ed.
Synopsis Fungorum, vol. 37. Oslo: Fungiflora. 431 p.
Schmidt, O., 2006. Wood and tree fungi. Biology, damage,
protection, and use. Berlin Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag.
336 p.
Schmidt, O., Huckfeldt, T., 2011. Characteristics and identi-
fication of indoor wood-decaying basidiomycetes. In
Adan, O.C.G., Samson R.A. (eds). Fundamentals of
mold growth in indoor environments and strategies for
healthy living. Wageningen: Academic Publishers, p. 117–182.
Singh, J., 1994. Nature and extent of deterioration in build-
ings due to fungi. In Singh, J. (ed.). Building mycology:
management of decay and health in buildings. 1st ed.
New York: E and FN Spon, p. 30–52.
Skalický, V., 1988. Regionálně fytogeografické členění [Re-
gional-phytogeographic division]. In Hejný, S., Slavík,
B. (eds). Květena ČSR 1. Praha: Academia, p. 103–120.
(In Czech).
Stienen, T., Schmidt, O., Huckfeldt, T., 2014. Wood decay
by indoor basidiomycetes at different moisture and tem-
perature. Holzforschung, 68 (1): 9–15. https://doi.org/
10.1515/hf-2013-0065
Szabó, I., Varga, F., 1995. Adatok a Donkioporia expansa
(Desmaz.) Kotl. et Pouz. előfordulásához és biológiá-
jához [Data on the occurrence and biology of Donkio-
poria expansa (Desmaz.) Kotl. et Pouz.]. Mikológiái Köz-
lemények, 34 (1): 53–58. (In Hungarian).
Šuvada, R. (ed.), 2023. Katalóg biotopov Slovenska [Cata-
logue of biotopes of Slovakia]. 2nd expanded ed. Banská
Bystrica: Štátna ochrana prírody SR. 511 p. (In Slovak).
Tejklová, T., Zíbarová, L., 2020. A contribution to the
knowledge of lignicolous fungi of Podunajská nížina
Lowland (Slovakia) 2. Catathelasma, 21: 5–146.
Tomšovský, M., Sabet, V., Welti, S., Moreau, P.-A., Dumez, S.,
2025. A new species of Bjerkandera (Polyporales, Ba-
sidiomycota) from Europe. Phytotaxa, 701 (1): 95–104.
https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.701.1.7
Ujházy, K., Ujházyová, M., Bučinová, K., Čiliak, M., Glej-
dura, S., Mihál, I., 2018. Response of fungal and plant
communities to management-induced overstorey changes
in montane forests of the Western Carpathians. European
Journal of Forest Research, 137 (2): 169–183. https://
doi.org/10.1007/s10342-017-1096-6
Vampola, P., 2008. Dřevokazné houby v budovách [Wood-
destroying fungi in buildings]. Mykologické listy, 104:
21–25. (In Czech).
Vampola, P., Charvátová, E., 2021. Choroše Evropy ve sbírkách
Muzea Vysočiny Jihlava [Poroid fungi (Polyporales s.l.)
of Europe in the collections of Museum Vysočiny Jihla-
va]. Jihlava: Nakladatelství Vampola. 728 p. (In Czech).
Venugopal, P., Junninen, K., Linnakoski, R., Edman, M.,
Kouki, J., 2016. Climate and wood quality have de-
cayer-specific effects on fungal wood decomposition.
Forest Ecology and Management, 360: 341–351. https://
doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2015.10.023
Vlasák, J., Kout, J., Dvořák, D., 2010. Taxonomical po-
sition of polypore Dichomitus albidofuscus: Donkiopo-
ria albidofusca comb. nov. Mycological Progress, 9:
147–150. DOI: 10.1007/s11557-009-0617-1
Zhao, H., Yuan, H. S., Cui, Y. J., Wang, K., Wu, F., Dai,
Y. C., Yuan, Y., 2026. Global polypore diversity and
distribution patterns. Fungal Diversity, 136: 136002.
https://doi.org/10.65390/fdiv.2026.136002
Zíbarová, L., Kolényová, M., Tejklová, T., Zehnálek, P.,
Antonín, V., Bartůšek, M., Beran, M., Běťák, J., Bo-
rovička, J., Dvořák, D., Halasů, V., Holec, J., Jin-
dřich, O., Jirsa, A., Klener, V., Kout, J., Mlčoch,
P., Souček, J., Ševčíková, H., Vašutová, M., 2024. Čer-
vený seznam makromycetů ČR [Red List of Macromy-
cetes of the Czech Republic]. In Zíbarová, L., Kolényová,
M., Tejklová, T., Zehnálek, P. (eds.). Červený seznam
hub (makromycetů) České republiky. Příroda, 46, p. 48‒
192. (In Czech).
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Vladimír Kunca, Jan Holec, Martin Kříž, Josef Vlasák, Andrej Rybár, Lucie Zíbarová, Michal Tomšovský, Petr Vampola (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
This journal provides immediate open access to its content under the Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Authors who publish with this journal retain all copyrights except for commercial rights (transfer of commercial rights) and agree to the terms of the above-mentioned CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license.
