Assessment Notes

Justification

Tomentellopsis rosannae is a species with very small-sized resupinate basidiomes, found on litter of Drimys winteri, Nothofagus antarctica, N. betuloides, and N. pumilio. Tomentellopsis completes its life cycle producing basidiomes on litter that is in intimate contact with soil. Putatively it is ectomycorrhizal with Nothofagus species. So far this species is only known from four sites in Argentina and two in Chile. It is believed that the species is associated to Nothofagaceae species forests in the Andean Patagonia, being a rare species, since no abundant records of this species have been found. This species is associated with an increasingly threatened Nothofagus forest due to forest fires (intentional and accidental), invasive non-native plant species (Pinus spp.), and cattle. Cattle farming and other interventions lead to proliferation of grasses in the forest might disrupt the life cycle that of fungal species like T. rosannae that need to find an aboveground substrate to establish the basidiome. Despite the size population being difficult to calculate, considering its low detectability, it is suspected that the species population size is in continuing decline as it is associated with an increasingly threatened Nothofagus forest (CONAF et al. 1999, Miranda et al. 2017, CONAF 2020). Also, considering its ectomycorrhizal habit (three generation time period is 50 years), it is possible to assume that the area suitable for the specific forest which harbours this species will decrease by 15% in the next 30 years (year 2050; therefore extrapolating forwards would give a 25% reduction over three generations) and, consequently, it is suspected that size population of T. rosannae will conservatively decline at least the same proportion. Thus, it is assessed as Near Threatened under criterion A3ce.

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Geographic range

So far this species is only known from four sites in Argentina (Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, near Ushuaia city, Estancia Moat, Lago Escondido) and two in Chile (Villarrica National Park and holotype was found in Puyehue National Park) (1998 to 2019). It is believed that the species is associated to Nothofagaceae species forests.

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Population and Trends

Tomentellopsis rosannae is considered a rare species. It has very small-sized resupinate basidiomes; found on litter of Drimys winteri, Nothofagus antarctica, N. betuloides, and N. pumilio. No abundant records of this species have been found and the population size is not easy to infer, considering its low detectability. On the other hand, the species is in decline as it is associated with an increasingly threatened Nothofagus forest (CONAF et al. 1999, Miranda et al. 2017, CONAF 2020). Also, considering its ectomycorrhizal habit (three generation time period is 50 years; Dahlberg and Mueller 2011), it is possible to suspect that the area suitable for the specific forest which harbours this species will decrease by 15% in the next 30 years (year 2050).

Population Trend: decreasing

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Habitat and Ecology

Thus far this species is known only from Nothofagus forests in the Andean Patagonia of Chile and Argentina. Tomentellopsis completes its life cycle producing basidiomes on litter that is in intimate contact with soil. This species is putatively ectomycorrhizal with Nothofagus species.

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Threats

This species is associated with an increasingly threatened Nothofagus forest due to forest fires (intentional and accidental), invasive plant species (Pinus spp.), and cattle. Cattle farming and other interventions lead to proliferation of grasses in the forest might disrupt the life cycle that of fungal species like T. rosannae that need to find an aboveground substrate to establish the basidiome.

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Conservation Actions

All of the known sites of Tomentellopsis rosannae are within protected areas (national parks), in both Chile and Argentina. But this forests are threatened by anthropogenic activities, including grazing by cattle, invasive plant species and fire. No evidences of a mycorrhizal trophic mode for this species have been published beside the co-ocurrence with Nothofagus and its taxonomic position (Kuhar et al. 2022). Also no attempts for isolation or culture have been made. More knowledge on these questions would facilitate the development of conservation strategies.

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Use and Trade

No uses or trade are known so far.

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Source and Citation

Ranieri, C., Kuhar, F., Hernandez Caffot, M.L., Niveiro, N., Pelissero, D., Maubet, Y., Sánchez, R. & Torres, D. 2023. Tomentellopsis rosannae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2023: e.T238221318A245223422. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T238221318A245223422.en .Accessed on 4 January 2025

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• Country occurrence