The Structure of the Micromycete Complexes of Oligotrophic Peat Deposits in the Southern Taiga Subzone of West Siberia

The analysis of the micromycete complexes of oligotrophic peat deposits in the Vasyugan Marsh by direct count and culture methods showed that micromycete carbon comprises no more than 3% of the total peat carbon and that the microscopic fungal biomass varies from 2 to 13 tons/hectare, depending on the season and the peat deposit thickness. Fungal spores were found in all layers of the peat deposits, whereas the mycelium was found only in the active peat layer. The high abundance of eukaryotic cells in the peats was due to the presence of yeastlike cells rather than fungal spores. Analyses by culture methods showed that micromycetes were present in all peat layers and that their abundance tended to decrease with depth, except for yeasts, which were uniformly distributed in a vertical direction. The micromycete complexes of the peat deposits were similar in their diversity and abundance of dominant species but differed in the composition of minor species. Peat yeasts were dominated by ascomycetes.