Waterlogged archaeological wood—a substrate for white rot fungi during drainage of wetlands

Heavily degraded waterlogged archaeological wood samples were tested for their ability to provide a substrate for aerobic wood degrading fungi. White- and brown-rot fungi were inoculated on sterilised 1600 year old ash wood previously degraded by erosion bacteria to determine their ability to degrade the wood further. It was found that only white rot was able to utilise the degraded wood tissue. Attack was observed on a macroscopic level as localised holes after 8 months of incubation and confirmed by light microscopy. In contrast to degradation on fresh ash, development of mycelia was significantly repressed. Increase in oxygen levels during draining of waterlogged soils or peat could lead to severe decay of archaeological wooden remains well before any detrimental changes due to desiccation.