ISSN:
1432-1939
Keywords:
Aquatic Hyphomycetes
;
Ergosterol
;
Fungal biomass
;
Leaf decomposition
;
Stream
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Summary Fungal biomass, measured as ergosterol content, was determined on alder leaf litter incubated during autumn in a softwater Pyrenean stream. The ergosterol content of the leaf litter increased rapidly to a maximum of 462 μg/g detrital dry mass. Ergosterol contents of aquatic Hyphomycetes grown in shake culture were typically ≤5 mg/g mycelial dry mass. Using the corresponding ergosterol-to-biomass conversion factor of 200, peak fungal mass accounted for 9.2% of total system mass, or 10.2% of leaf dry mass. For the period of highest activity (incubation days 7–28), net fungal production on leaf litter was estimated as 2.3 mg d−1 g−1 leaf mass. A conservative estimate of the growth efficiency for the same period was 105 mg mycelial mass per gram leaf mass degraded, assuming that non-leaf organic matter did not constitute an important carbon source supporting fungal production.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00320428
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