Effects of competition on fungal resistance to and recovery from heat stress are species-specific and depend on nutrient concentration

We tested whether competitive interactions alter resistance (responses during stress) and recovery (responses after stress) following a heat event, and whether nutrient concentration modulates these effects. We cultivated four saprotrophic fungi as monocultures or in pairwise combinations on low- or high-nutrient agar, exposed them to 48 h at 30 °C, and then monitored 48 h recovery at 20 °C. Competition altered both resistance and recovery in species-specific and nutrient-dependent patterns.

Pairing <i>Morchella elata</i> with <i>Trichoderma atroviride</i> reduced <i>M. elata</i>'s recovery under both nutrient levels and reduced <i>T. atroviride</i>'s resistance specifically under high nutrients, whereas <i>M. elata</i> showed enhanced recovery when paired with <i>M. sextelata</i> or <i>T. rossicum</i> under low nutrients. Under high nutrients, recovery was enhanced in <i>M. sextelata</i> when paired with <i>M. elata</i> and in <i>T. rossicum</i> when paired with <i>M. sextelata</i>.