Book of Abstracts (PDF) - International Mycological Association

IMC7 Tuesday August 13th Lectures
were amplified and sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis based
on the 5.8S gene sequences showed that these 18 white
morphotypes belonged to the Ascomycota. Further
identification of the white morphotypes to lower taxonomic
levels was conducted by means of sequence similarity
comparison and phylogenetic analysis of both the 5.8S
gene and ITS regions. The origins of WMS9 and WMS10
were inferred to be the genus Lophodermium of the
Rhytismataceae, and the origins of WMS11, WMS13, and
WMS18 were the Rhytismataceae. WMS2, WMS3,
WMS4, WMS5, and WMS6 were identified to the genus
Rosellinia, WMS1 to the genus Entoleuca, and WMS14 to
the genus Nemania of the Xylariaceae, and the origins of
WMS7, WMS8, WMS12, WMS15, WMS16, and WMS17
were the Xylariaceae. The value of using DNA sequence
analysis in the identification of endophytic fungi is
discussed.
137 - Assessing diversity of leaf-inhabiting pathogenic
coelomycetes in south-east Europe
T.V. Andrianova
M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, NAS Ukraine,
Tereshchenkivska, 2, Kiev 01601, Ukraine. - E-mail:
tand@darwin.relc.com
Leaf-inhabiting pathogenic coelomycetes are difficult to
monitor in nature because of their microscopic size, large
number of inadequately characterized and classified
morphs. About 1100 species of these anamorphic fungi
have been recorded from south-east Europe. Fungal
diversity assessment in these temperate and submeridional
regions allow one to predict an eventual total of around
15300 microfungi on the 5100 known vascular plants.
Some names need critical revision at species rank, other
anamorphic names need reassessment in the light of
teleomorph names and the application of one name for the
holomorph. An eventual 1500-2000 leaf-inhabiting
pathogenic coelomycetes can thus be expected for southeast
Europe. Main centres of biodiversity are the
Carpathian mountains and Crimean peninsula. About 500
leaf-inhabiting coelomycete pathogens were observed in
mountain forests, subalpine meadows, forest-steppes and
steppes of Crimea. The eastern Carpathian virgin broadleaf
and conifer forests, and alpine plant communities are
characterized by over 260 of these pathogens, but this
number is not final. The species richness of leaf-inhabiting
coelomycetes is based on a combination of abiotic factors
and host-plants diversity. Decline of the total population of
these fungi, at 43% in the Carpathians, and accumulation of
species with agressive pathogenic characters has been
observed in unstable ecosystems. Study of these fungi can
provide a way to monitor stability of natural ecosystems.
138 - Functional biodiversity of grassland saprotrophic
fungi
L.J. Deacon 1* , C.H. Robinson 1 , B.W. Bainbridge 1 & J.C.
Frankland 2
1 King's College London, Division of Life Sciences,
Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London
SE1 9NN, U.K. - 2 Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
Merlewood, Windermere Road, Grange Over Sands,
Cumbria LA11 6JU, U.K. - E-mail:
lewis.deacon@kcl.ac.uk
The aim of this project is to characterise the functional
biodiversity of saprotrophic decomposer fungi in a
grassland community. The presence of all saprotrophic
fungal species in a grassland community may not be
necessary to maintain the function of the ecosystem, i.e.
some species may be functionally redundant in the process
of decomposition because several species may break down
the same carbon and nitrogen substrates. Fungal isolates
obtained from an upland grassland soil in Scotland, were
selected to cover not only the most abundant species
(common isolations), but also a cross section of the fungal
community (occasional isolations) from different treatment
plots (control, lime, nitrogen and nitrogen plus lime) at the
field site. Isolates were tested for their ability to grow on
specific substrates, in defined and semi-defined media.
Primarily the activity of cellulolytic enzymes, ligninolytic
enzymes, pectinase, amylase and chitinase were tested on
solid media. Twelve isolates were chosen for further
screening for the utilisation of smaller molecular weight
carbon and nitrogen sources using the BIOLOG system.
Further work is in development to test the paired isolates
ability to utilise and compete for natural substrates
available in the grassland.
139 - Guatemalan Macrofungi: diversity and uses
R.E. Flores 1* , M.C. Bran 1 , O. Morales 1 & M. Honrubia 2
1 Universidad de San Carlos, DIGI/Facultad CCQQ y
Farmacia. Edif T-12 Ciudad Universitaria 01012,
Guatemala. - 2 Universidad de Murcia, Depto. Biología
Vegetal (Botánica). Campus de Espinardo 30100, Spain. -
E-mail: rfloresa@yahoo.com
Many fungal species from North to South America and
vice versa found place in Guatemala due to its geographical
position and orographic relief. Many of them are
mycorrhizal with pines, oaks, alders and fir. In addition,
there is also a large diversity of saprophitic species,
especially in the tropical areas. Mayan people in Guatemala
have used mushrooms as part of their rituals and as a
source of food since many centuries ago. Currently
mushrooms are used as food and as medicine but
exceptional uses as insecticide or decorative elements are
reported. The main researches on macrofungi in Guatemala
have been directed for 10 years ago by the University of
San Carlos. Currently its Mycological Herbarium contains
Book of Abstracts 45