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On the Potential Contribution of Microfungi to the Decomposition of Reed Leaf Detritus in a Coastal Lagoon: A Laboratory and Field Experiment
Author(s) -
Mancinelli Giorgio,
Vignes Fabio,
Sangiorgio Franca,
Mastrolia Annunziata,
Basset Alberto
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
international review of hydrobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1522-2632
pISSN - 1434-2944
DOI - 10.1002/iroh.200811164
Subject(s) - microfungi , detritus , environmental chemistry , environmental science , decomposition , leaching (pedology) , respiration , ecology , chemistry , botany , biology , soil water
The potential contribution of microfungi to reed decomposition in a coastal habitat (Le Cesine Lagoon, Italy) was investigated under laboratory and field conditions. Leaf pack mass and surface loss, ergosterol content and O 2 uptake were used to construct carbon budgets and an empirical ergosterol‐to‐O 2 uptake relationship based on literature data was used to estimate the contribution of microfungi. Under laboratory conditions, reed carbon loss was entirely due to leaching and microbial respiration. In contrast, C losses observed in the field were accounted for by microbial respiration and macroinvertebrate shredding almost equally. Microfungi were estimated to account for 98% and 69% of microbially‐respired carbon under laboratory and field conditions, respectively. Our results provide a preliminary, quantitative assessment of microfungal contribution to reed decomposition in brackish habitats. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)