Identification of fungi from soil and sediment in Jefriz Cave; the first survey in a cave from Iran

The aim of this study was to characterize the mycobiota in soil and sediment samples of Jefriz cave in Kerman, Iran. During 2018−2019, the culturable mycobiota from several sites within the Jefriz cave, resulted in 82 fungal isolates. Morphological characteristics of the isolates, as well as molecular sequence data, were used for species identifications. The fungi were identified as species of Fusarium, Fusicolla, Geomyces (Pseudogymnoascus), Humicola, Chalastospora, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Epiciccum, Podospora and Mucor. The most prevalent was Aspergillus spelunceus, followed by Geomyces pannorum and Humicola grisea. The majority of these species have been reported as cave residents in previous studies of cave environments. Our data showed that the fungal community composition varied between the samples from the entrance and less visited sites deeper in the cave. This study is the first cave mycological investigation in Iran, and one of the identified species is reported for the first time from a cave.

MICROBIAL COMMUNITY OF THE ASKINSKAYA CAVE

The cave Askinskaya (Askynskaya, Ledyanaya) contains the largest perennial hydrogenic ice in the territory of the Southern Urals. It is shown that the soil and horizontal hydrogenic ice are the main reservoirs for storing microorganisms in the cave, and the microbial pool is replenished mainly due to recreational load, but natural ways – rain, melt water and air from the surface also make a certain contribution. From all the ecotopes of the cave (soil, water occurrences, rock surfaces and aerial environment), 72 species of microscopic fungi (D – 0.69), sterile forms and yeast were isolated. Yeast fungi and species of Geomyces pannorum (d – 0.83), Acremonium charticola, Cladosporium herbarum, Penicillium aurantiuogriseum were found in all ecological niches with a high frequency of abundance / occurrence. The greatest variety of microscopic fungi is observed in the air (57 species), most species are introduced from the surface, settle on walls, ice, soil and, due to low temperatures, retain their viability in the cavity for a long time.

Microscopic fungi of lithobiont communities of Argentine Islands Region: Data from the 22nd Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition

The identification of the diversity of microscopic fungi of lithobiont communities of the Argentine Islands in specimens collected during the 22nd Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition was the purpose of this work. Samples of rock, soil, mosses and lichens of rock micro-habitats of “Crustose lichen sub-formation and fruticose lichen and moss cushion sub-formation” were used in the work. These samples were used for extracting and cultivation of filamentous fungi on dense nutrient media. Determination of physiological and biochemical characteristics and identification of yeast-like fungi were performed using a microbiological analyser ‘Vitek-2’ (‘Bio Merieux’, France). Cultivation of microorganisms was carried out at temperatures from +2 to +37 °C. In results cultures of microscopic fungi of Zygomycota (Mucor circinelloides), Ascomycota (species of the genera cf. Tlielebolus, Talaromyces), representatives of the Anamorphic fungi group (Geomyces pannorum, species of the genera Alternaria, Acremonium, Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Cladosporium) were isolated from Antarctic samples. Microscopic fungi Penicillium spp. were dominated after the frequency in the studied samples (54.5%). Rhodotorula rubra and Candida sp. among isolated yeast fungi, and dark pigmented fungi represented by Aureobasidium pulhdans and Exophiala spp. were identified. The biological properties of a number of isolated fungi (the potential ability to synthesise important biologically active substances: melanins, carotenoids, lipids) are characterised. Mycobiota of rock communities of Argentine Islands is rich on filamentous and yeast fungi similarly to other regions of Antarctica. A number of fungi investigated are potentially able to synthesise biologically active substances. The dark pigmented species of the genera Cladosporium, Exophiala, Aureobasidium pulhdans, capable of melanin synthesis; ‘red’ yeast Rhodotorula rubra (carotenoid producers and resistant to toxic metals); Mucor circinelloides and Geomyces pannorum, lipid producers, are among these fungi. Yeast-like fungi assimilated a wide range of carbohydrates, which will allow them to be further used for cultivation in laboratory and process conditions. The collection of technologically promising strains of microorganisms, part of the Culture Collection of Fungi at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (Ukraine), is updated with isolated species (strains) of filamentous fungi and yeast – potential producers of biologically active substances, obtained within this study.

Почвенные грибы как компоненты постагрогенных биогеоценозов в тундре

Изучены количественные показатели и качественные характеристики микобиоты в почвахзонального биогеоценоза и разновозрастных постагрогенных экосистем в подзоне южной кустарниковой тундры (Воркутинский район, Республика Коми). Исследования микробной биомассы в почвах свидетельствует о доминировании в ней грибов. Для почвы 14-летней постагрогенной экосистемы характерны более высокие показатели длины и биомассы мицелия в отличие от почв ерниково-ивняковой моховой тундры и почвы 46-летней постагрогенной экосистемы, где на долю спор приходится до 40% всей грибной биомассы. Комплекс микромицетов исследованных почв представлен 34 видами из 11 родов отделов Zygomycota и Ascomycota. Микобиота всех рассмотренных почв характеризуется обилием стерильного мицелия, преобладанием видов рода Penicillium, постоянным присутствием вида Geomyces pannorum. Наибольшим видовым разнообразием отличается близкий к климаксному микоценоз почвы 46-летней постагрогенной экосистемы, что отражает классическую схему постагрогеннойсукцессии почвенных микробоценозов. Отличия в видовом составе растительных сообществ зональной экосистемы и 14-летней постагрогенной экосистемы обусловливают специфичность почвенной микобиоты последней.

Diversity of fungi from the mound nests ofFormica ulkeiand adjacent non-nest soils

Culture-based methods were employed to recover 3929 isolates of fungi from soils collected in May and July 2014 from mound nests of Formica ulkei and adjacent non-nest sites. The abundance, diversity, and richness of species from nest mounds exceeded those of non-mound soils, particularly in July. Communities of fungi from mounds were more similar to those from mounds than non-mounds; this was also the case for non-mound soils with the exception of one non-mound site in July. Species of Aspergillus, Paecilomyces, and Penicillium were dominant in nest soils and represented up to 81.8% of the taxa recovered. Members of the genus Aspergillus accounted for the majority of Trichocomaceae from nests and were represented almost exclusively by Aspergillus navahoensis and Aspergillus pseudodeflectus. Dominant fungi from non-mound sites included Cladosporium cladosporioides, Geomyces pannorum, and species of Acremonium, Fusarium, Penicillium, and Phoma. Although mound nests were warmer than adjacent soils, the dominance of xerotolerant Aspergillus in soils from mounds and the isolation of the majority of Trichocomaceae at 25 and 35 °C suggests that both temperature and water availability may be determinants of fungal community structure in nests of F. ulkei.