Authors: Carlsson, Fredrik; Sandström, Jennie ;Jonsson, Bengt Gunnar;Edman, Mattias;

The amount of old growth forests has dramatically decreased during the last century. Many threatened species such as saproxylic fungi, are connected to forests with long continuity and old-growth characteristics. Open rocky pine forests in northeast Sweden are examples of forests with low human impact and old-growth characteristics. Abundance and richness of wood-inhabiting fungi in rocky pine forests was investigated in eight study sites. In addition, we specifically studied the presence of five red-listed species using species specific primers. The fruitbody inventory yielded 48 species in total, including the red-listed species, Cinereomyces lenis and Hyphodontia halonata. Additionally, four red-listed species, Antrodia infirma, A. albobrunnea, Crustoderma corneum and Anomoporia kamtschatica was found with species specific primers. We found no relationship between species and dead wood characteristics. Red-listed species were found on a variety of log types, indicating that every piece of dead wood can be of high importance in these unique low productive habitats and that extraction of dead wood should be avoided as much as possible