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Diversity of microfungi in the phylloplane of plants growing in a Mediterranean ecosystem
Author(s) -
Pereira Pablo T.,
de Carvalho Margarida M.,
Gírio Francisco M.,
Roseiro J. Carlos,
AmaralCollaço M. T.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of basic microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.58
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1521-4028
pISSN - 0233-111X
DOI - 10.1002/1521-4028(200212)42:6<396::aid-jobm396>3.0.co;2-l
Subject(s) - microfungi , phyllosphere , biology , mediterranean climate , botany , cladosporium cladosporioides , alternaria alternata , aureobasidium pullulans , horticulture , ecology , genetics , food science , bacteria , fermentation
Mediterranean ecosystems have not been investigated as natural habitats for microorganisms in general, and microfungi in particular. Plants harvested in “Serra da Arrábida” (38°27′ N, 9°02′ W), a Mediterranean ecosystem in Portugal, were analyzed for the filamentous microfungi inhabiting their surface. Two field locations with distinct climatic characteristics were studied: ‘Fonte do Veado’ (38°28′50″ N, 9°0′17″ W; 300 m elevation) located on the northern slope, and ‘Mata do Solitário’ (38°27′55″ N, 8°59′35″ W; 50 m elevation), on the southern slope. From Veado zone, leaf samples yielded a total of 3049 isolates, ranging from 317 to 1328/sample (mean = 762). The number of species/sample ranged from 12 to 24. From Solitario zone, leaf samples yielded a total of 1337 isolates, ranging from 189 to 528/sample (mean = 334). The number of species/sample, in this case, ranged from 10 to 17. Veado zone showed a wider range of species. The fungal species more frequently isolated from both zones ( Aureobasidium pullulans ( De Bary ) Arnaud , Cladosporium cladosporioides ( Fresen .) De Vries , C. sphaerospermum Penzig and Alternaria alternata ( Fr. ) Keissler ) were found in all plant samples and represents 80% (Veado) and 85% (Solitario) of the total isolates.