Comparison of aquatic hyphomycetes communities between lotic and lentic environments in the Atlantic Rain Forest of Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil

Publication date: Available online 31 May 2019Source: Fungal BiologyAuthor(s): Gabriela Virgínia Ramos da Silva, Rafael F. Castañeda-Ruiz, Elaine MalossoAbstractRiparian forests are known for their importance to aquatic ecosystems. In the regions of riparian forests, large quantities of organic matter are produced and recycled by the microbial community that includes microscopic fungi. The aim of this study was to unveil and compare the diversity of aquatic hyphomycetes associated to submerged leaf litter of tropical lotic and lentic environments in the Atlantic Forest of Northeast Brazil. Six sampling events were carried out over one year in six points of each of the two study areas: the Municipal Biological Reserve “Mata da Chuva” and the Environmental Protection Area “Lagoa da Mata”, both in Pernambuco state, Brazil. In the laboratory, the submerged leaves were rinsed in tap water and cut into fragments of approximately 1 cm2 that were incubated at room temperature for 4-5 days prior to daily observations. In the next 30 days, the leaf fragments were mounted onto microscope slides with distilled water for observation of fungal structures. A total of 23 taxa of hyphomycetes were identified resulting in 87 occurrences. In the lake Lagoa da Mata, 13 taxa of hyphomycetes were identified with 34 occurrences and in the Mata da Chuva (1st order stream), 20 taxa of hyphomycetes with 53 occurrences were detected. Ten species were common to both areas. The diversity indice...

Source: Fungal Biology - June 1, 2019 Category: Biology Source Type: research