The role of environmental variables in the colonization pattern of aquatic hyphomycetes in a semi-tropical canal water habitat

Authors : Firdause BAREEN

Pages : 1-14

View : 40 | Download : 11

Publication Date : 2011-08-15

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The canal water hyphomycete distribution was studied using three techniques of study during the years 2006 and 2007. The maximum number of conidial species was observed by the membrane filtration technique and compared to randomly collected submerged leaves and bait leaves. . Among the most fluctuating and influential factors in the canal, temperature and organic debris deposition appeared to be significant. Three distinct colonization patterns could be detected for the different species of aquatic hyphomycetes well regulated by the environmental variables. The dominant species of aquatic hyphomycetes occurring throughout the year in canal water and favored by high temperature included Articulospora proliferata, Flagellospora penicillioides, Flagellospora sp. B., Lunulospora curvula, Tetracladium marchalianum and Triscelophorus monosporus. Five species namely, Anguillospora sp. C., Heliscus tentaculus, Mycofalcella iqbalii, Pyramidospora casuarinae and Scorpiosporium sp. I. made their appearance in the rainy season and also strongly responded to the increase in amount of leaf debris. Another six species namely, Alatospora acuminata, Anguillospora longissima, Articulospora tetracladia, Lemonniera spp. and Tetrachaetum elegans formed the typical winter assemblage. The Principal Component Analysis indicated ordination trends of canal water hyphomycetes to be comparable by different techniques with respect to temperature and organic biomass deposition
Keywords : Aquatic hyphomycetes, Distribution patterns, Temporal communities

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