Sánchez Santana, Bárbara I.

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    Hyphomycetes associated with submerged bamboo leaves (Bambusa vulgaris) in Quebrada de Oro in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.
    (2008) Sánchez Santana, Bárbara I.; Santos Flores, Carlos J.; College of Arts and Sciences - Sciences; Maldonado Ramírez, Sandra L.; Montalvo Rodríguez, Rafael R.; Department of Biology; Alston, Dallas E.
    Leaf litter is a major source of nutrients for heterotrophic organisms in aquatic ecosystems in which microorganisms contribute significantly to the breakdown process of leaf litter. Fungi as aquatic hyphomycetes are dominant decomposers in many aquatic environments. Common bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris), an introduced species, has reduced the diversity of the riparian vegetation; in Puerto Rico. The main goal of this study was to identify aquatic hyphomycetes associated with bamboo leaf litter by placing leaves of common bamboo inside mesh bags that were submerged at three stations along Quebrada de Oro. At each sampling site, physico-chemical parameters were measured, leaves bags were exposed to fungal colonization, and natural leaf litter and water samples were collected to monitor the fungal community and water quality. Leaf discs from samples of each bag were mounted on slides with lactophenol-cotton blue and examined under the microscope. Other discs were placed in aeration chambers to induce fungal growth and sporulation. Water samples from the stream were filtered through membrane filters and discs of the leaf litter were stained with lactophenol-cotton blue to observe conidia. The temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration, and pH registered during this study were within the standard values. Conidia of the genera Anguillospora Campylospora, Helicomyces, and Pyramidospora were found on bamboo leaf discs. Twenty-seven species were found on the bamboo leaf discs in the first phase of monitoring and twenty- eight in the second phase of monitoring. Conidia found in water samples from the stream belonged to the genera Anguillospora, Campylospora, Clavariopsis, Clavatospora, and Pyramidospora. Dissolved oxygen concentration was the factor with the highest correlation with the species found, particularly in the first phase of monitoring ( r=0.67). Most of the species observed on the bamboo leaves were also found in the water column. About ten of the twenty-four species found on the water column were observed on bamboo leaves. However, the number of species counted in the water column was lower than in a previous report from the same stream. The aquatic fungal community in Quebrada de Oro used the bamboo leaves as substrates, especially Campylospora and Helicomyces. Apparently, bamboo leaves provide a good habitat for some aquatic hyphomycetes when the results are compared with other studies made with native and exotic vegetation in Puerto Rico. Although two different techniques were used to monitor the colonization of bamboo leaves, the same number of species and similar species composition were observed on these substrates.