Fungi in groundwater springs and wells in the Moscow region

Abstract

The number, species composition and taxonomic structure of fungal biota in the groundwater of natural springs and wells in the Moscow region were determined by сultural method. The number of fungi was low, on average from 10 to 300 colony-forming units (CFU) in 1 liter of water. 6–16 species were isolated from the water of one source or well, and totally 46 species were isolated from 6 studied objects. These were representatives of phylum Mucoromycota class Mucoromycetes (Absidia cylindrospora var. nigra, Mucor circinelloides, M. hiemalis,Rhizopus stolonifer), phylum Ascomycota class Eurotiomycetes (15 species of the generaAspergillusandPenicillium), Sordariomycetes (13 species of the generaAcremonium, Chaetomium, Fusarium, Myrothecium, Plectosphaerella, Trichoderma), Dothideomycetes (Alternariaalternata, A. nobilis, Amorocoelophoma cassia, Cladosporium cladosporioides, C. sphaerospermum) and – Saccharomycetes (Candida solani, C. zeylanoides, Galactomyces pseudocandidus) and phylum Basidiomycota class Tremellomycetes (Mrakia gelida, Vishniacozyma victoriae) and Agaricomycetes (Phlebia acerina, Psathyrella candolleana, Thanatephorus cucumeris). The established taxonomic structure of fungal biota in the waters of natural springs and wells of the Moscow metropolis is similar to that found in the groundwater of other regions, including of groundwater at the depths of several hundred meters. The possibilities of adaptation of micromycetes to existence in ground water, the sources of its contamination and the need for mycological criteria for assessing water quality are discussed.