The 137Cs/134Cs ratio in fungi as an indicator of the major mycelium location in forest soil

Since 1987, 134Cs and 137Cs activities have been measured in about 250 soil samples and about 350 samples of different fungal species grown in a coniferous forest in Bavaria, Germany. Variations of 137Cs/134Cs ratios are less than 10% within samples from the same soil horizon and year. Similarly, 137Cs/134Cs ratios vary within less than 10% in mushroom samples of the same species and year. In contrast, the specific activities of 134Cs and 137Cs in soil samples of the same horizon and in mushroom samples of the same species vary by up to one order of magnitude. Two approaches are presented to estimate mycelium location of fungi. In the static approach, 137Cs/134Cs ratios in soil and mushrooms, corrected to May 1986 and averaged over 1987–1994, are analysed. These ratios range from 1.74 ± 0.06 in the L-horizon to 2.41 ± 0.46 in the B-horizon. The corresponding ratios measured in 14 fungal species vary between 1.73 ± 0.12 (Lepista nebularis) and 2.16 ± 0.26 (Russula cyanoxantha). By comparing these ratios, information on the major mycelium location can be gained. In the dynamic approach, the change with time of the 137Cs/134Cs ratio in 14 fungal species and in different layers of forest soil is compared. At the investigated site, both approaches yield similar results. The advantages of both methods are discussed.