| Abstract Detail
MSA - Ecology/Pathology Marano, Agostina V [1], Barrera, Marcelo D [2], Steciow, Mónica M [1], Gleason, Frank H [3]. The diversity of Zoosporic Fungi and Straminipila associated with the decomposition of Pouteria salicifolia and Ligustrum lucidum leaves in an Argentinean stream. Leaves decomposition is considered a key process in the metabolism of woodland streams. Leaves are degraded by a combination of physical (i. e. solubilization, abrasion and fragmentation) and biological processes that lead to the generation of carbon dioxide, dissolved organic matter, fine particulate organic matter and biomass of decomposers. Generally, hyphomycetes are considered the major fungal group responsible for leaf litter decomposition and little work has been done documenting the presence of Zoosporic Fungi and Straminipila. Our objectives were to estimate leaf decomposition rates of Pouteria salicifolia and Ligustrum lucidum at Las Cañas stream (Argentina) and to analyze the composition, abundance and diversity of these organisms in relation to other fungi associated with the decomposed material. Litter bags were submerged in the stream and at each time of exposure leaf disks were cut and processed according to the baiting technique. Decomposition rates were estimated through an adjustment to a negative exponential model. L. lucidum leaves (k: 4.094 year-1) decomposed faster than those of P. salicifolia (k: 0.934 year-1). Eighty taxa were recorded, 22 were exclusive to L. lucidum and 18 to P. salicifolia. The species composition, abundance and diversity varied with exposure time. Two main succesional groups were detected, one of them associated with early and intermediate stages, and the other with the later stages of decomposition.
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1 - Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Instituto de Botánica Spegazzini, 53 N° 477, La Plata, Buenos Aires, 1900, Argentina
2 - Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Lisea, Diagonal 113 N° 469, La Plata, Buenos Aires, 1900, Argentina
3 - University of Sydney , School of Biological Sciences A12, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
Keywords:
decomposition
ecology
leaves
stramenopiles
zoosporic fungi.
Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Topics
Session: P2
Location: Event Tent/Cliff Lodge
Date: Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: P2EP012
Abstract ID:207 |
