Mycophagy in a community of macropodoid species

Abstract

Mycophagy (fungus-eating) by mammals is likely to be an important ecosystem process in Australian forests and woodlands, because the hypogeous ectomycorrhizal fungi (truffles) that are dispersed by mycophagous mammals are symbiotic with trees, aiding them in healthy growth. Studies of mammals that consume and disperse these fungi have generally focused on potoroid marsupials, or more occasionally bandicoots or rodents. A common and diverse component of Australian forest and woodlands, the macropodids, have largely been overlooked as mycophagists. This chapter presents data on the occurrence of fungi in the diets of a community of six macropodoid species in north-east New South Wales, including four species of macropodid and two species of potoroid. Diets of red-necked pademelons (<i>Thylogale thetis</i>), swamp wallabies (<i>Wallabia bicolor</i>), parma wallabies (<i>Macropus parma</i>), brush-tailed rock-wallabies (<i>Petrogale penicillata</i>), rufous bettongs (<i>Aepyprynmus rufescens</i>) and long-nosed potoroos (<i>Potorous tridactylus</i>) were examined. All these macropodoids consumed hypogeous fungi to various degrees, the diversity of spore types in the diet ranging from just a few taxa that were detected occasionally (e.g. brush-tailed rock-wallaby diets) to more than 30 taxa that were detected frequently (e.g. swamp wallaby diets). Fungal diets of the different macropodoids were significantly different from one another in the types of fungi eaten and the relative contribution of the different fungal types to the diet. Diets also changed seasonally. The ecological implications of fungal consumption and dispersal by such a diversity of macropodoids, some of which are widely distributed in eastern Australia, are discussed.