Patterns in the occurrence of saprophytic fungi carried by arthropods caught in traps baited with rotted wood and dung

Fungi from approximately 1700 individual arthropods that had been captured in traps set in aspen-dominated woodland in western Canada and baited with coyote dung, moose dung, white-rotted wood, brown-rotted wood and fiberglass were isolated in pure culture and identified. These data were analysed with principal components analysis (PCA) to determine whether different types of substrate attracted specific arthropods and whether these animals carried unique assemblages of fungi with known proclivities for the new habitat. Mycobiotic agar was used to restrict the numbers of fungi isolated and resulted in the recovery of 1687 isolates representing 65 species across 12 orders. Isolates of cosmopolitan fungal taxa such as species of Cladosporium, Penicillium, and Beauveria were the most numerous. Taxa with predilections for specific substrates, such as Myxotrichum and Cryptendoxyla that are known inhabitants of cellulose-rich materials (i.e. rotted wood), and various representatives of the keratinophilic Onygenales were recovered from arthropods attracted respectively to baits rich in cellulose and keratin. When traps were analysed according to the identity and numbers of arthropods captured, there was considerable overlap among clusters representing specific bait types, with traps baited with coyote dung being the most divergent partly because they captured significantly more arthropods than those baited with moose dung or rotted wood. When bait type was examined according to the identity and numbers of fungi on trapped arthropods the degree of overlap was also high although a few trends could be discerned. In particular traps baited with brown-rotted wood and coyote dung diverged slightly indicating that arthropods visiting these bait types were carrying somewhat different suites of fungi.     

FUNGI OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND ITS TRIBUTARIES. III. THE DISTRIBUTION OF WOOD-INHABITING ASCOMYCETES AND FUNGI IMPERFECTI OF THE PATUXENT RIVER

The effects of changes in salinity and temperature on the distribution of wood-inhabiting Ascomycetes and Fungi Imperfecti in the Patuxent River were studied. Forty-one species of Ascomycetes and 83 species of Fungi Imperfecti were collected; Pyrenomycetes and dematiaceous Hyphomycetes predominated. Salinity was the most important factor affecting the distribution of fungi, and the major change in species composition occurred where freshwater and saltwater mix. The ratio of Ascomycetes to Fungi Imperfecti increased with increasing salinity, while the number of species collected generally decreased. Triadelphia heterospora Shearer and Crane was collected only at low temperatures and appears to be the only regularly occurring species whose distribution was affected by temperature. The interaction of temperature and salinity did not affect the distribution of four species that occurred regularly at wide ranges of temperature and salinity. Species composition differed between two limnetic stations, one above and the other below the discharge points of two sewage treatment plants.     

Diversity and specific composition of microscopic fungi on synthetic polymeric materials

We summarized experimental data on species diversity of fungi decomposing synthetic polymeric materials. Most of the fungi were anamorphs of the phylum Ascomycota, class Ascomycetes (231 species and 85 genera). Teleomorphs of ascomycetes were represented by 18 species and 7 genera. We revealed a smaller number of fungi belonging to the phylum Zygomycota, class Zygomycetes (31 species and 15 genera), or the phylum Basidiomycota, class Basidiomycetes (5 species and 5 genera). The specific composition of fungi was assessed on polymeric materials of various classes.     

In vivo passage through calves of nematophagous fungi selected for biocontrol of parasitic nematodes.

The experiment was designed to test the survival and performance of stress selected nematophagous fungi after passage through the gastro-intestinal tract of cattle. Ruminating calves were fed daily with a fixed amount of fungal material grown on barley grains. The excreted dung was collected on days four and five after the start of the feeding experiment. Barley grains were washed out of the excreted dung and incoculated on water-agar plates. After incubation for one week, nine of ten fungal isolates were re-isolated from these plates. The predatory capacity of the fungi in the excreted faeces was tested in a dung pat bioassay and a faecal culture system. In the dung pat bioassay, two fungi of the genus Arthrobotrys and six of the genus Duddingtonia reduced the development of Ostertagia ostertagi third stage larvae by 85% (61%-93%), compared to the number of larvae developed from fungus-free control pats. In seven out of these eight isolates, the reduction of larvae in the faecal cultures was 92% (76%-99%).     

Marine mycoflora of south India with special emphasis on lignicolous marine fungi

A study dealing with the marine fungi associated with decaying wood samples in the brackish water mangrove ecosystem and shoreline ecosystem was carried out in south India. A total of 19 marine fungi were isolated from the brackish water mangrove ecosystem. They included 13 Ascomycetes, one Basidiomycete and five Mitosporic fungi. In terms of percent frequency of occurrence, the most frequent species obtained from the brackishwater were the Lignincola longirostris (16.60%) and Savoryella lignicola (12.09%). Nine species were found frequently. Five species were occasionally encoun-tered. Aigialus mangrovei, Aniptodera mangrovei and Halosarpheia marina were the rare species recorded. The average number of isolates per wood sample was 1.53. A total of 27 marine fungi including 15 ascomycetes, one basidiomycete and ten mitosporic fungi were recorded from the shoreline ecosystem. In terms of percent frequency of occurrence, the most frequent species obtained from Kanyakumari were the Arenariomyces trifurcates (13.66%), Corollospora maritima (12.44%), and Cirrenalia pygmea (10.98%). Seven species were found frequently. Fourteen species were occasionally encountered. Three species were found to be rare in occurrence. The average number of isolates per wood sample was 1.21.     

Endophytic fungi from Amomum siamense.

Endophytic fungi were isolated from apparently healthy organs of the wild ginger Amomum siamense Criab.. including leaves, pseudostems, and rhizomes, collected from two sites in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Thailand. Endophytes were relatively common with an isolate prevalence of 70%-83% at the two sites sampled in the wet and dry seasons. The endophyte assemblages from the two sites were diverse and comprised 7 Ascomycetes and 26 mitosporic fungi. Colletotrichum "gloeosporioides" (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. in Penz., Glomerella spp., xylariaceous fungi, and Phomopsis spp. were consistently dominant as endophytes on Amomum siamense, but many rare species and mycelia sterilia were also recorded. There was no significant difference between the number of isolates recovered from leaves containing vein tissues and those containing intervein tissues, independent of leaf age. Most taxa showed a preference for either leaf tissue or pseudostems. Two new Ascomycetes species. Gaeumannomyces amomi and Leiosphaerella amomi, were discovered from leaves and rhizomes, respectively, and four species of Pyricularia, including three new species, were isolated from leaves.     

Marine mycoflora of south India with special emphasis on lignicolous marine fungi

A study dealing with the marine fungi associated with decaying wood samples in the brackish water mangrove ecosystem and shoreline ecosystem was carried out in south India. A total of 19 marine fungi were isolated from the brackish water mangrove ecosystem. They included 13 Ascomycetes, one Basidiomycete and five Mitosporic fungi. In terms of percent frequency of occurrence, the most frequent species obtained from the brackishwater were the Lignincola longirostris (16.60%) and Savoryella lignicola (12.09%). Nine species were found frequently. Five species were occasionally encountered. Aigialus mangrovei, Aniptodera mangrovei and Halosarpheia marina were the rare species recorded. The average number of isolates per wood sample was 1.53. A total of 27 marine fungi including 15 ascomycetes, one basidiomycete and ten mitosporic fungi were recorded from the shoreline ecosystem. In terms of percent frequency of occurrence, the most frequent species obtained from Kanyakumari were the Arenariomyces trifurcates (13.66%), Corollospora maritima (12.44%), and Cirrenalia pygmea (10.98%). Seven species were found frequently. Fourteen species were occasionally encountered. Three species were found to be rare in occurrence. The average number of isolates per wood sample was 1.21.     

中国野生食用真菌种类及生态习性

我国野生食用真菌种类多,分布广泛,资源丰富。已知657种,132属,41科。其中担子菌620种,占总数的94.4%,子囊菌37种,占5.6%。有过栽培记载和试验或利用菌丝体发酵培养的约80种,32属,18科。目前大量人工栽培的约22种。上述食用真菌按其种数多少主要包括在白蘑科Tricholomataceac,红菇科Russulaceae,牛肝菌科Boletaceae,蘑菇科Agaricaceae,侧耳科Pleurotaceae,珊瑚菌科Clavariaceae,丝膜菌科Cortinariaceae,球盖菇科Strophariaceae,蜡伞科Hygrophoraceae,羊肚菌科Morchellaceae,喇叭菌科Cantharellaceae,齿菌科Hydnaceae,多孔菌科Polyporaceae。依繁殖生长的基物为主,将我国野生食用真菌的生态习性划分为五类。木生菌138种,粪生菌9种,土生菌128种,虫生菌12种,菌根真菌352种。     

刺槐内生真菌群落组成及其生态功能结构分析

基于高通量测序方法对贵州贵阳花溪刺槐内生真菌物种多样性进行分析,共获得有效序列43 942条,聚类后共获得81个可操作单元（OTUs）,分属4门13纲27目45科58属。其中,优势属为一分类地位未定属,其相对丰度为83.23%,次优势属为镰刀菌属 Fusarium（11.81%） 、拟船壳属 Gloniopsis（1.38%）和螺旋聚孢霉属 Clonostachys（0.72%）,相对丰度小于0.5%的属高达50个以上。Shannon-Wiener指数为0.6835,Simpson指数为0.7071。经FUNGuild软件平台解析显示,刺槐内生菌包含有如下生态功能群：植物病原菌、动物病原菌、内生真菌、真菌寄生菌、地衣真菌、粪生真菌、未定腐生菌和木腐菌等。     

Causes and consequences of variability in peptide mating pheromones of ascomycete fungi

The reproductive genes of fungi, like those of many other organisms, are thought to diversify rapidly. This phenomenon could be associated with the formation of reproductive barriers and speciation. Ascomycetes produce two classes of mating type-specific peptide pheromones. These are required for recognition between the mating types of heterothallic species. Little is known regarding the diversity or the extent of species specificity in pheromone peptides among these fungi. We compared the putative protein-coding DNA sequences of the 2 pheromone classes from 70 species of Ascomycetes. The data set included previously described pheromones and putative pheromones identified from genomic sequences. In addition, pheromone genes from 12 Fusarium species in the Gibberella fujikuroi complex were amplified and sequenced. Pheromones were largely conserved among species in this complex and, therefore, cannot alone account for the reproductive barriers observed between these species. In contrast, pheromone peptides were highly diverse among many other Ascomycetes, with evidence for both positive diversifying selection and relaxed selective constraint. Repeats of the α-factor-like pheromone, which occur in tandem arrays of variable copy number, were found to be conserved through purifying selection and not concerted evolution. This implies that sequence specificity may be important for pheromone reception and that interspecific differences may indeed be associated with functional divergence. Our findings also suggest that frequent duplication and loss causes the tandem repeats to experience "birth-and-death" evolution, which could in fact facilitate interspecific divergence of pheromone peptide sequences.     

蜈蚣衣内生真菌研究

对北京东灵山地衣蜈蚣衣进行内生真菌分离,经过6种不同的方法消毒后,内生真菌的定殖率为55.4%~100%;从316个地衣组织块上共分离到28个真菌分类单元,其中包括1个子囊菌,22个丝孢菌,3个腔孢菌,1个毛霉和1个酵母菌。根据定殖率和分离到的内生真菌的种类两个指标综合考虑,消毒方法IV(75%乙醇1min,2%次氯酸钠3min,75%乙醇30s)为进行地衣内生真菌研究的最佳消毒方法。     

Diversity and ecological distribution of endophytic fungi associated with medicinal plants

A total of 973 isolates of endophytic fungi were recovered from 1144 tissue fragments of the six medicinal plant species belonging to 4 families collected in the Beijing Botanical Garden. Of these isolates 778 sporulated and were identified into 21 taxa by morphological characteristics. Among the taxa 11 belonged to Coelomycetes, 6 to Ascomycetes, and 4 to Hyphomycetes. Various numbers of endophytic fungi (5–8 taxa) were obtained from each plant. Alternaria alternata was the dominant species in the 6 plants, and Microsphaeropsis conielloides was also dominant in Eucommia ulmoides. There were high colonization rates (47.9%–63.1%) and isolation rates (0.7–0.93) of endophytic fungi, and they were conspicuously higher in twigs than those in leaves in the 6 plants examined. The colonization and isolation rates of endophytic fungi increased with the twig age. The results based on the analyses of cluster and Sorenson’s similarity coefficients indicated that some endophytic fungi showed a certain degree of host and tissue preference.     

Molecular weights of the ribosomal ribonucleic acid of fungi

Summary The molecular weights of the 18s and 25s ribosomal RNA components of fungi from all major classes were determined by electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels. The molecular weight of the 18s RNA was found to be very similar for all fungi (range 0.71–0.75 million) and about 4–5% larger than the 18s RNA of HeLa cells and soybean. The molecular weight of the 25s RNA ranged between 1.45 million in the Myxomycetes and 1.30–1.31 million in the Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes. The differences in the 25s RNA molecular weights between various classes of fungi were interpreted as being in agreement with a monophyletic origin of the Chytridiomycetes, Zygomycetes, Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes, and independent origins for the Myxomycetes and the Oomycetes. The Hyphochytridiomycete examined could not be placed unequivocally in any group on the basis of its 25s RNA. Fungal RNA extracted with a p-aminosalicylate-triisopropylnaphthalene sulfonate-phenol mixture at 40–60°C contained a high molecular weight aggregate of the 18s and 25s ribosomal RNA; this suggested significant base sequence homology between the two ribosomal RNA species in fungi.     

Temporal segregations in the surface community of an ephemeral habitat: Time separates the potential competitors of coprophilous Diptera

Temporal separations among species greatly enhance the species' coexistence, especially in insect communities inhabiting temporally unstable, yet resource‐rich, ephemeral habitats like dung or carrion. The insect communities inhabiting ephemeral habitats consist of two components, the internal community dwelling within the substrate (mostly Coleoptera), and the surface community inhabiting the habitat's outer rim (mostly adult Diptera). In contrast to the internal community, the surface community is very rarely studied. We present here the first quantitative study of temporal trends in the surface community of coprophilous dipteran adults. Using artificially created 1.5 L cow dung pats, we studied the succession and seasonality in the surface community during six sampling periods in 2011 and 2012. In total, we sampled 13579 adults of dung‐visiting Diptera. Both the abundance and species richness decreased rapidly throughout the succession, and were highest during summer. Along the successional gradient, the community was separated into two main groups (early and late) and four subgroups: (i) species occurring during the first few hours (mainly Calyptratae: Diptera); (ii) species occurring between the first and second days; (iii) species occurring between the second and third days (mainly Acalyptratae: Diptera); and (iv) species with optima after the third day of dung pat existence (mainly Nematocera). The earliest and latest successional groups, occurring mainly during spring–autumn, were seasonally separated from the two mid‐successional groups, occurring during summer. The ecologically similar species displayed detectable seasonal micro‐optima, which likely facilitate their coexistence. There was a high overall similarity in temporal patterns between dung and carrion surface communities.     

Diversity and ecological distribution of endophytic fungi associated with medicinal plants

A total of 973 isolates of endophytic fungi were recovered from 1144 tissue fragments of the six me-dicinal plant species belonging to 4 families collected in the Beijing Botanical Garden. Of these isolates 778 sporulated and were identified into 21 taxa by morphological characteristics. Among the taxa 11 belonged to Coelomycetes, 6 to Ascomycetes, and 4 to Hyphomycetes. Various numbers of endophytic fungi (5―8 taxa) were obtained from each plant. Alternaria alternata was the dominant species in the 6 plants, and Microsphaeropsis conielloides was also dominant in Eucommia ulmoides. There were high colonization rates (47.9%―63.1%) and isolation rates (0.7―0.93) of endophytic fungi, and they were conspicuously higher in twigs than those in leaves in the 6 plants examined. The colonization and isolation rates of endophytic fungi increased with the twig age. The results based on the analyses of cluster and Sorenson's similarity coefficients indicated that some endophytic fungi showed a certain degree of host and tissue preference.     

Ectomycorrhizal fungus communities of Quercus liaotungensis Koidz of different ages in a northern China temperate forest

Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal communities of Quercus liaotungensis of different ages (seedlings, young trees and mature trees) in the growing seasons (June and September) between 2007 and 2009 were studied in a temperate forest of northern China. A total of 66 ECM fungal taxa were identified based on ECM morphotyping, PCR-RFLP, and DNA sequence data. Of these fungal taxa, 51 were Basidiomycetes (77.3%) and 15 were Ascomycetes (22.7%). Cenococcum geophilum was the dominant species. Thelephoraceae (16 taxa), Sebacinaceae (12 taxa) and Russulaceae (seven taxa) were the most species-rich and abundant ECM fungi, accounting for 19.5%, 17.6% and 8.3% of the total ECM root tips, respectively. Results of multiple response permutation procedure (MRPP) analysis indicated that there were marginally significant effects of tree ages (A?=?0.01801, P?=?0.054) and growing seasons (A?=?0.01908, P?=?0.064) on the ECM fungal species composition of Q. liaotungensis in a temperate forest.     

Occurrence and colonization of nematophagous fungi in different substrates,agricultural soils and root galls

Seventeen species of nematophagous fungi were recorded, three species were endoparasitic and fourteen species were predacious fungi. Among the predacious fungi Arthrobotrys oligospora, Dactylaria brochopaga and Monacrosporium eudermatum were very frequent, whereas others were recorded at lower frequency. Twelve species of nematophagous fungi from compost as well as cow dung manure, 15 species from leaf litter and only eight species from agricultural soils were recorded. In general, substrate colonization by nematophagous fungi was higher in leaf litter, compost and cow dung manure. The agricultural soil amended with FYM (farm yard manure) recorded nine species of nematophagous fungi while unamended soil recorded only seven species. Thirteen species of nematophagous fungi were recorded from soils under banyan tree. Of all these fungi unidentified net-forming fungus, M. eudermatum, A. cladodes, D. brochopaga, S. hadra, A. oligospora and A. dactyloides had higher percentage of soil colonization. In soil collected under pipal tree only eight species were recorded, of which A. oligospora, A. cladode and an unidentified fungus were more predominant as their percentage colonized in soil samples was higher. Few studies have examined root galls as a substratum for colonization of nematophagous fungi. Of all the root gall samples, okra root galls recorded maximum colonization by predacious fungi. Maximum percentage of root gall colonization was recorded for M. eudermatum followed by A. oligospora and M. ellipsosporum. M. eudermatum was also most predominant colonizer of balsam, brinjal and rice root galls.     

Endophytic and mycorrhizal fungi associated with roots of endangered native orchids from the Atlantic Forest, Brazil

The composition and diversity of fungal communities associated with three endangered orchid species, Hadrolaelia jongheana, Hoffmannseggella caulescens, and Hoffmannseggella cinnabarina, found in different vegetation formations of the Atlantic Forest were determined by constructing clone libraries and by applying diversity and richness indices. Our results demonstrated the presence of Basidiomycetes. Sebacinales (81.61 %) and Cantharellales (12.10 %) were the dominant orders and are potential candidates for orchid mycorrhizal fungi. The Ascomycetes identified included the Helotiales (29.31 %), Capnodiales (18.10 %), and Sordariales (10.34 %), among others. These orders may represent potentially endophytic fungi. A Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H′) analysis showed a relatively high fungal community diversity associated with these tropical orchids. This diversity may offer greater flexibility in terms of the adaptation of the plants to changing environmental conditions and the potential facilitation of reintroduction programs. The Simpson diversity index values showed that all of the libraries included dominant species, and a LIBSHUFF analysis showed that the fungal communities were structurally different from each other, suggesting an influence of local factors on this diversity. This study offers important information for the development of conservation strategies for threatened and endemic species of Brazilian flora in an important and threatened hotspot.     

分离自青海湖可培养耐盐真菌的多样性研究

青海湖位于青藏高原东北部,属于典型的高原盐湖沉积环境。作者以常规的分离培养方法对青海湖中的耐盐真菌多样性进行了研究。从黑马河、耳海和尕海共分离得到617株耐盐真菌,结合形态学和分子生物学的方法将菌株鉴定到18个属和45个种。子囊菌的菌株数比接合菌和担子菌多,枝孢菌和青霉菌为优势耐盐真菌。在这45种耐盐真菌中,轻度、中度和极端嗜盐真菌分别有19、25和1种。分离自黑马河地区的耐盐真菌,其物种丰富度指数Ma（3.12）、多样性指数H′（1.11）和均匀度指数J（0.267）均比耳海和尕海的高。从1.5%浓度下     

松嫩草地牛粪中大型节肢动物种类组成及种群动态变化

研究并分析了松嫩草地牛粪中大型节肢动物种类组成及动态变化.结果表明,在草地牛粪中共调查到大型节肢动物7目20科43种,以鞘翅目、膜翅目和双翅目为主.依其食性不同,分为粪食性型(8科19种)、腐食性型(4科4种)、植食性型(4科6种)、捕食性型(5科11种)、杂食性型(2科5种)、尸食性型(1科1种)和寄生性型(1科1种).根据鞘翅目金龟总科中营粪食性型生活的粪甲虫对牛粪利用方式的不同,分为外生粪甲虫(6种)、内生粪甲虫(5种)、远生粪甲虫(2种)和偷窃寄生粪甲虫(1种).除了双顶嗡蜣螂,牛粪中大型节肢动物数量与鲜牛粪重量具有显著正相关关系(p＜0.01).粪食性型种类数和个体数量随鲜牛粪堆置时间的延长而迅速减少,7d后消失,其个体总数量与鲜牛粪堆积时间呈显著的负相关关系(p＜0.01),而与牛粪含水量呈显著正相关关系(p＜0.01),各种大型节肢动物因其食性不同在鲜牛粪中占据不同的生态位.鲜牛粪中大型节肢动物以粪食性型占绝对优势,而干牛粪中则以捕食性型和杂食性型为主.牛粪中大型节肢动物种群季节动态变化受温度、降水量与牛粪含水量影响,鲜牛粪中大型节肢动物优势种为直蜉金龟(69.25%)和肖秋家蝇与东方角蝇幼虫(25.12%).4、5、6月份和9月份,优势种为直蜉金龟,7月和8月份,优势种为蝇幼虫.