Some – Aspects of Ecological And Floristic Studies of Red Sea Mangrove (Avicennia Marina Vierh) and Marine Fungi From Mitsiua Ethiopia
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Date
1987-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Ecology and floristics of higher marine fungi of Ethiopian
coastal I'laters (at Nitsiua) of the Red Sea I'las studied from
Sept., 1986 to Nay, 1987. 1100d and pneumatophores of Avicennia
marina (mangrove) swetienia mhagoni (mhagoni) and Fagus
sylvatica (fagus) were used as baiting substrates. Nangrove
sUbstrate submerged in the sea and driftwoods from Hamlay Desiet
were the main materials on which the study was focused. Besides,
the study included supportive data from environmental parameters
such as temperature, pH, salinity, secchi disc depth, dissolved
I
oxygen, and wood weight and strength losses.
The occurrence of the fungi on the test wood blocks in
relation to the environmental parameters and their selective
effect on the test wood blocks is discussed. The environmental
parameters mentioned above along ~Iith ecological factors such as
heavy sediments in the water, etc. account for the occurrence of
the fungi.
The fungal decay rate on each substrate and 3 sites were
studied in terms of weight and strength losses. Among the timber
species mhagoni and fagus \~ere found to be the most susceptible
and resistant species respectively.
be moderately resistant.
Nangrove wood was found to
Marine fungi colonizing both test wood blocks in three sites
and driftl-lOods in one site are listed and most of these are
described and illustrated. Forty nine species of fungi were
isolated and of which Periconia prolifica, cirrenalia tax. sp.
and Culcitalna acrospora on test wood blocks and Periconia
prolifica,
dr i ftl-lOods
Luhlorthia sp. I, Gnomonia sp.
were dominant species.
and ZaleriQO sp. on
In all, 51 species are recorded on wood substrates collected
from Mitsiua. Out of these 9 species ~Iere found growing only on
test wood blocks and 30 species on driftwoods. The remaining 13
species were recorded on both these substrata. Of the total
fungal taxa recorded, 22 species belonged to Ascomycotina, 1 to
Basidiomycotina and the remaining 28 species to Deuteromycotina.
The following 11 species I viz. (Ascomycotina) QJdympsphaeria
tax. SP'I '!:!fllosarph,el.a tax. SP" al1d unidentified ut'litunicate
fungus, (Deutcromycotina) cirrenaliq tax. sp., .Qi);U.QQ.Qqoi!Jm tax.
SP'I l!.gJosynnema av!cElnn.t~ gen. et SPI nov., J;driella;.tax, sp'.,
Lasiodiploiqia tax. sp. I unidentified pycnidial"fl\tlgu~ (
unidentified hyphomycetous fungus and unidentified ' 'fuyceli~
sterilia are ne~l to marine mycocommunity.
Of the total collections I 35 species are 9b1ig'atEi lfoiarille
taxa. 50 species are ne~l records to the Red Sea in pailffi'icular
and 17 species to the Indian Ocean in general. All of. ~h~nl\ a~e
nel1 to the Ethiopian coast and are additibns to our kno\il;edge on
the mycoflora of Ethiopia. 'I'heso findingi; also raisedth~ number
of fungi colonizing AviQ.on llIarin.Jl from 7 to 27.
The discoverier. suggest that the Red Sea in generaI'falldthe
mangrove vegetation in particular support great numhers,:of ,fungal
species. Also I the fung i along with other microbes i;111d"marille
borers are organisms that are responsible for the degradatioJ\ of
mangrove and othe,r wood substrates in setl ~later.
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Biology