Fungi Isolated from Wild Birds and Litter in the Itatiaia National Park in Southeastern Brazil

Abstract

In Brazil, the Atlantic Forest has suffered from deforestation, which has caused impacts on its flora, fauna, and microbiota. This biome is considered one of the main tourist and birdwatching destinations due to the large number of species, especially Passeriformes. However, the fungal diversity present in these environments is little known and studied. In this work, a total of 148 samples from 74 wild birds (74 feathers and 74 feces) and 16 samples of litter were collected in Itatiaia National Park, southeastern Brazil. Filamentous fungi isolated from these samples were identified using macroscopic and microscopic characteristics. Among birds, Aspergillus spp., Mucor spp., Cladosporium spp., Fusarium spp., Penicillium spp. and Syncephalastrum spp. were identified in higher abundance. In litter, Aspergillus spp., Fusarium spp. and Penicillium spp. were identified. These results indicate the presence of saprophytic fungi species in the feathers and feces of wild birds and in the litter of the capture site. Further studies should be conducted in order to elucidate if the mycobiota profile modifies with anthropization and if it interferes with bird health and environmental recovery.