Distribution Patterns of Cellular Slime Molds in the Kantishna Hills, Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska, U.S.A.

Abstract

The distribution patterns of dictyostelid cellular slime molds (CSM) in soils of 14 different study sites in the Kantishna Hills of Denali National Park and Preserve were investigated during the 1991 field season. Study sites included examples of all major natural vegetation types found in the region as well as a number of study plots representing different types of riparian zone restoration treatments being carried out as part of the National Park Service's Glen Creek Restoration Project. Six CSM species were isolated, but two of these—Dictyostelium mucoroides and D. sphaerocephalum—were overwhelming dominants. The total number of clones per gram of wet soil ranged from 0 to 1203, with an average value of 259 for all 14 study sites. The mean value recorded for the seven natural vegetation study sites (430) was considerably higher than the corresponding value (87) for the seven restoration study sites. Interestingly, D. mucoroides ranked as the dominant species (59–98% of all clones) for all six of the natural vegetation study sites from which CSM were isolated, whereas D. sphaerocephalum was dominant (50–100% of all clones) in the six restoration study plots with CSM present.