Theory predicts that the energetic cost of competition between fungal mycelia might accelerate or retard the rate of wood decomposition, depending on various factors. To evaluate the effect of occupied territory on wood decay rate and competitive outcome, we set up a pairing competition experiment using beech wood blocks colonised by three brown-rot and three white-rot basidiomycetes. All white-brown combinations (totalling nine), and five ratios of wood volume (4:0, 3:1, 2:2, 1:3, 0:4) were performed. Pairings were incubated in the dark at 20 °C for 3 months, and then competition outcome and wood weight loss were determined. Mycelia occupying larger territory were more competitive than mycelia occupying smaller territory. There were negative relationships between wood volume and percentage wood weight loss. Wood decay was slower at the competition front than at the rear of the wood blocks in some cases. These results suggest that wood volume (territory size) affects both competition outcome and wood decay rate in basidiomycete communities.

理论预测，真菌菌丝体之间竞争的能量成本可能会加速或阻碍木材分解的速度，具体取决于各种因素。为了评估占领区对木材腐烂率和竞争结果的影响，我们建立了一个配对竞争实验，使用由三个褐腐和三个白腐担子菌定殖的山毛榉木块。进行了所有白棕色组合（总共九种）和五种木材体积比（4：0、3：1、2：2、1：3、0：4）。配对在黑暗中于20°C孵育3个月，然后确定竞争结果和木材失重。占据较大领土的菌丝体比占据较小领土的菌丝体更具竞争力。木材体积与木材失重百分比之间存在负相关关系。在某些情况下，比赛前的木材腐烂比木刻的后面慢。这些结果表明木材量（领土大小）影响了担子菌群落的竞争结果和木材腐烂率。