Fungi Originating From Tree Leaves Contribute to Fungal Diversity of Litter in Streams.

ABSTRACT: Biomass production and decomposition are key processes in ecology, where plants are primarily responsible for production and microbes act in decomposition. Trees harbor foliar microfungi living on and inside leaf tissues, epiphytes, and endophytes, respectively. Early researchers hypothesized that all fungal endophytes are parasites or latent saprophytes, which slowly colonize the leaf tissues for decomposition. While this has been proven for some strains in the terrestrial environment, it is not known whether foliar microfungi from terrestrial origin can survive or perform decomposition in the aquatic environment. On the other hand, aquatic hyphomycetes, fungi which decompose organic material in stream environments, have been suggested to have a plant-associated life phase. Our aim was to

SUBMITTER: Koivusaari P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6454979 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature