Ecological studies of spores of aquatic hyphomycetes in the cringle brook, lincs

Abstract

The aquatic Hyphomycete spora of the Cringle Brook, Lincs, was examined by foam sampling and by the use of cellophane impaction traps between August, 1968 and January, 1970. The species most frequently found (Tetracladium marchalianum, Alatospora acuminata and Flagellospora curvula) were generally in agreement with those found by other workers in temperate areas. Impaction trap samples generally contained fewer species than foam samples but filiform spore types such as Flagellospora were more frequently found on traps than in foam suggesting that impaction is more selective towards the filiform spore type than is foam. Many species increased in frequency in autumn accompanying and following leaf fall, and the winter spora was dominated by Alatospora acuminata, Clavariopsis aquatica, Clavatospora stellata, Flagellospora curvula and Lemonniera aquatica. During the summer the spora was dominated by Tetracladium marchalianum. The role of foam and impaction in the balance of aquatic spore populations is discussed in relation to techniques available for their study.