Colonization & Decomposition Pattern of Water Borne Conidial Fungi in Freshwater Stream of Central Himalaya

Abstract

In the freshwater streams the leaf litter substrate is colonized by early fungal colonizer and helps in decomposition of leaf litter and makes the substrate more suitable for the recruitment of late successional species. The study was carried out at Central Himalayan stream (Vinayak) to examine the colonization and decomposition pattern of Water Borne Conidial Fungi as all the streams are naturally subjected to great spatial and temporal variability, which is likely to affect the distribution and activity of organism in aquatic ecosystem. In this study nylon-mesh bags technique was used for the period of twelve months, using Angiospermic and Gymnospermic leaves as leaf litter substrate. Decomposition (weight loss) of different substrates in different months of submergence was analyzed statistically and was found that species number significantly affect the weight loss of tested leaf litter. KEY WORDS: Water Borne Conidial Fungi, Fresh Water Streams, Colonization, Decomposition.