Aquatic hyphomycetes associated with attached dead leaves (autochthonous), accumulated leaf litter (allochthonous) and crown humus in canopies of wild palm (Caryota urens) and cultivated palm (Cocos nucifera) were assessed during wet and dry seasons by means of bubble chamber incubation.The canopy of C. urens trapped allochthonous leaf litter of seven tree species (Alstonia scholaris, Artocarpus hirsutus, Ficus benghalensis, F. religiosa, Garcinia indica, Holigarna arnottiana and Mangifera indica), while in the canopies of C. nucifera leaf litter of four tree species was found (Acacia mangium, Delonix regia, Eucalyptus tereticornis and Polyalthia longifolia). Although the total number of species of aquatic hyphomycetes was almost identical during the dry season (17-18 spp.), in the wet season it was higher in Caryota urens than in Cocos nucifera (31 vs. 23 spp.). Based on conidium production, Anguillospora crassa, Flagellospora curvula and Lunulospora curvula were among the top five species during the wet and dry seasons in both palms.Shannon diversity was higher in the wet season than in the dry season in all samples of C. urens, while it was higher only in leaf samples of C. nucifera. Sřrensen’s similarity of aquatic hyphomycete communities between the samples was higher in C. urens than in C. nucifera. Three-way ANOVA revealed significant differences in species richness and conidium production between the seasons, palms and substrate assessed.
Ghate S. D., Sridhar K. R. (2016): Aquatic hyphomycetes associated with leaves, leaf detritus and crown humus in palm canopies. – Czech Mycology 68(2): 111–126.
