Cansiglio: autumn in the woods, among porcini mushrooms and fog

The Cansiglio plateau, spanning between Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, represents in autumn a natural stage of rare beauty and ecological complexity. This article aims to analyze in depth the environmental, mycological, and landscape dynamics that characterize this season, with a particular focus on the cycle of life and death that governs the forest ecosystem. Through scientific data, field observations, and ecological considerations, we will explore the secrets of one of the most studied and appreciated forests in Italy.

Cansiglio: a natural open-air laboratory

The Cansiglio plateau, with its basin-like shape and an average altitude of 1000 meters, constitutes a unique environment for the study of Alpine and pre-Alpine biodiversity. Its geological conformation, peculiar climate, and management history make it an exemplary case study for understanding the interactions between fungi, plants, animals, and abiotic factors. In this introduction, we will explore the ecological foundations that make Cansiglio such a special place for mycologists, botanists, and naturalists.

Geomorphology and climate: the foundations for life and death of an ecosystem

The geological structure of Cansiglio, of karst origin, profoundly influences every aspect of the ecosystem, from species distribution to water availability, down to the decomposition processes that drive the recycling of organic matter. Sinkholes, chasms, and karren fields characterize a landscape where surface water is rare, but underground water is abundant, creating particular microclimatic conditions that favor specific fungal and plant associations.

The climate of Cansiglio presents peculiar characteristics with strong daily temperature variations and frequent fog formation that influence mushroom growth and decomposition processes. These fogs, besides creating a suggestive atmosphere, play a crucial ecological role in maintaining high environmental humidity even in the absence of rain, favoring the fruiting of epigeous fungi and the development of lignicolous ones.

The autumn mycocenosis: fungal biodiversity between life and death of the forest

Autumn in Cansiglio represents the period of maximum expression of fungal biodiversity, with hundreds of species fruiting in response to favorable climatic conditions and the availability of decomposing organic substrates. In this section, we will analyze in detail the most representative species, their ecological requirements, and their role in the forest ecosystem, with particular attention to the theme of death as a regenerative process.

Symbiotic fungi: the mutualism that sustains forest life

The mycorrhizal fungi of Cansiglio establish symbiotic relationships with the main tree species, exchanging nutrients and water for carbohydrates. These relationships, fundamental for forest health, reach their peak in autumn, when plants accumulate reserves before winter dormancy and fungi produce their fruiting bodies.

The Porcini (Boletus edulis) represents perhaps the mycological symbol of the autumn Cansiglio, fruiting abundantly in the beech and spruce forests where it establishes mycorrhizal relationships with beeches and Norway spruces. Its presence is an indicator of a mature and healthy forest ecosystem, where the processes of organic matter cycling occur efficiently. The collection of porcini in Cansiglio is regulated by precise regional rules that allow harvesting in limited quantities and only for edible species identified with certainty.

Saprotrophic fungi: the artisans of death that regenerates

Saprotrophic fungi play a fundamental ecological role in decomposing dead organic matter, returning essential nutrients to the soil for plant growth. In the autumn Cansiglio, the abundant leaf litter and dead wood provide ideal substrates for numerous lignicolous and terricolous species that accelerate decomposition processes.

The process of tree death and their subsequent fungal decomposition creates an essential microhabitat for countless organisms, from invertebrates to small mammals, in a perfect example of how death supports new forms of life. Lignicolous fungi like Pleurotus ostreatus and Flammulina velutipes colonize fallen trunks and branches, initiating complex enzymatic processes that break down cellulose and lignin, the main structural components of wood.

Parasitic fungi: the balance between life and death in forest ecosystems

Parasitic fungi represent a crucial element in the evolution and maintenance of forest ecosystem health. In Cansiglio, species like Armillaria mellea and Heterobasidion annosum attack weakened or old trees, accelerating their decline and contributing to forest renewal through the creation of clearings and openings in the forest canopy.

Armillaria mellea, known as Honey Fungus, is perhaps the most famous parasite of Cansiglio, capable of attacking both broadleaf trees and conifers through its underground rhizomorphs that extend for tens of meters in search of new host plants. Its action, while causing the death of often centuries-old trees, on the other hand creates conditions for forest renewal and increased structural biodiversity of the forest. Modern forest management recognizes the ecological value of these natural processes, limiting containment interventions only to areas of particular economic value or safety.

The flora of Cansiglio: autumn adaptations and winter preparation

The vegetation of Cansiglio presents unique physiological and morphological adaptations to cope with the arrival of autumn and prepare for winter rigor. In this section, we will explore the strategies of different plant species, from color change to leaf fall, down to the accumulation of reserves in underground organs, in a perfect example of how the cycle of seasons influences every aspect of forest life.

Beech forests: the realm of the beech and its majestic autumn decay

The beech forests of Cansiglio, among the most extensive in Europe, offer in autumn a spectacle of colors ranging from golden yellow to fiery red, while the leaves begin their process of senescence and fall. This phenomenon, besides its aesthetic impact, represents a conservative strategy of the plant to reduce transpiration during the cold months and recycle precious nutrients before leaf fall.

The Beech (Fagus sylvatica) dominates the forest landscape of Cansiglio between 900 and 1300 meters above sea level, forming pure woods or in association with Norway spruce where it creates ideal microclimatic conditions for the development of specific fungal communities. Its leaf litter, rich in phenolic compounds but poor in nitrogen, decomposes slowly giving rise to a moderate type of humus that favors particular mycorrhizal associations. In autumn, the production of beechnuts represents a crucial food resource for wildlife, from wild boars to small rodents, which contribute to seed dispersal.

Spruce forests: the norway spruce and its resilience to adversity

The spruce forests of Cansiglio, often in association with beech, represent a forest formation of great ecological and landscape value. Unlike broadleaf trees, the Norway spruce retains its leaves even in winter, continuing photosynthesis in mild periods and representing an element of stability in the forest ecosystem during the cold season.

The Norway Spruce (Picea abies) in Cansiglio forms pure or mixed woods that host specific fungal communities, including numerous species of boletes and russulas that establish exclusive mycorrhizal relationships with this conifer. The spruce litter, characterized by needles rich in resins and aromatic compounds, decomposes more slowly than that of broadleaf trees, creating an acidic humus that favors specialized fungal species. In autumn, the fall of older needles intensifies, contributing to the litter layer that will protect the soil from winter frost.

Autumn fauna: winter preparation between migrations and hibernation

Autumn in Cansiglio represents for the fauna a period of intense activity aimed at accumulating reserves for winter or migrating to milder climates. In this section, we will examine the survival strategies adopted by different animal groups, from large mammals to small invertebrates, in an ecosystem where the availability of food resources progressively decreases as the season advances.

Mammals: from reserve accumulation to shelter seeking

The mammals of Cansiglio face autumn with different strategies ranging from the accumulation of fat reserves to the intensification of trophic activity, from the search for suitable shelters to the weaning of the last litters of the year. Deer, roe deer, and wild boars take advantage of the autumn abundance of forest fruits to increase their body weight before winter, while small mammals like squirrels and dormice accumulate supplies in underground or arboreal hiding places.

The red deer rut represents perhaps the most characteristic sound of the autumn Cansiglio, when males in the reproductive period emit their calls to attract females and demarcate territory in one of the most evident manifestations of the struggle for species perpetuation before the arrival of winter. This behavior, besides its spectacular value, has important ecological implications in the structuring of populations and natural selection. Fungi, in this dynamic, represent a complementary food resource for many species, which contribute to spore dispersal through feces and passive transport.

Avifauna: between migrations and adaptations to the cold season

The avifauna of Cansiglio in autumn presents a complex dynamic characterized by the departure of migratory species, the arrival of winter visitors from the north, and the adaptation of resident species to worsening climatic conditions. The mixed beech and spruce forests offer crucial shelters and food resources for birds like bullfinches, crossbills, and woodpeckers, specialized in exploiting forest resources even in the adverse season.

Woodpeckers, in particular the Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius), play a fundamental ecological role in the autumn Cansiglio by creating cavities in dead or dying trunks that will be subsequently used as shelters by numerous other species of birds and mammals during winter. This activity, besides contributing to the wood decomposition process, creates essential microhabitats for forest biodiversity, in a perfect exemplification of how wood death supports new forms of life. Lignicolous fungi, in turn, prepare the wood for the action of woodpeckers by softening its structure through enzymatic decomposition.

Landscape and autumn atmospheres: the poetics of transition in Cansiglio

The landscape of Cansiglio in autumn takes on unique characteristics, where the fog that often envelops the plateau combines with the warm colors of the vegetation to create atmospheres of rare suggestion. In this section, we will analyze the perceptive and cultural aspects of the autumn landscape, exploring how natural elements combine to create a complete sensory experience that involves not only sight, but also hearing, smell, and touch.

Fogs and light: the suggestive atmosphere of the plateau

The autumn fogs of Cansiglio, generated by the meeting of humid air and soil cooled by nocturnal radiation, profoundly modify the perception of the landscape, attenuating contrasts, dampening sounds, and saturating the atmosphere with humidity. These conditions, besides their aesthetic impact, directly influence ecological processes, from fungal growth to invertebrate survival, creating local microclimates that mitigate the effects of seasonal cooling.

The autumn light in Cansiglio, filtered by the fogs and the low angle of the sun, creates chiaroscuro games that enhance the textures of tree bark, the shapes of fungi, and the structure of the forest soil, offering the attentive visitor the possibility to appreciate normally overlooked details. These lighting conditions, combined with the muffled silence typical of foggy days, favor a contemplative approach to nature, inviting patient observation and listening to the subtle sounds of the forest preparing for its winter rest. The attentive mycologist knows that precisely these days, apparently uninviting, can reserve the most interesting discoveries, with fungi fruiting protected from desiccation and excessive light.

Cansiglio: the perpetual cycle of life and death in the autumn forest

Autumn in Cansiglio thus represents not only a season of transition, but a crucial moment in the annual cycle of the forest ecosystem, where the processes of growth and decay reach a dynamic equilibrium of rare complexity and beauty. Death, in this context, is not a terminal event but a necessary phase in the perpetual recycling of matter and energy that sustains the extraordinary biodiversity of this environment.

Fungi, with their dual role as symbionts and decomposers, represent the main architects of this cycle, transforming dead organic matter into new resources for life and creating those networks of relationships that make the forest a complex and resilient organism. Understanding and appreciating these dynamics is not only an exercise in scientific knowledge, but an experience that enriches our perception of nature and our place in it, in a period of the year that invites reflection on the deeper meaning of the cycle of seasons and of life itself.