Abstract
Fungal community composition in composts of lignocellulosic wastes was assessed via 454-pyrosequencing of ITS1 libraries derived from the three major composting phases. Ascomycota represented most (93%) of the 27,987 fungal sequences. A total of 102 genera, 120 species, and 222 operational taxonomic units (OTUs; >97% similarity) were identified. Thirty genera predominated (ca. 94% of the sequences), and at the species level, sequences matching Chaetomium funicola and Fusarium oxysporum were the most abundant (26 and 12%, respectively). In all composts, fungal diversity in the mature phase exceeded that of the mesophilic phase, but there was no consistent pattern in diversity changes occurring in the thermophilic phase. Fifteen species of human pathogens were identified, eight of which have not been previously identified in composts. This study demonstrated that deep sequencing can elucidate fungal community diversity in composts, and that this information can have important implications for compost use and human health.
Highlights
Compost is a dynamic and complex habitat wherein microorganisms play fundamental roles
This study demonstrated that deep sequencing can elucidate fungal community diversity in composts, and that this information can have important implications for compost use and human health
The dynamics of nitrogen transformations varied in these composts
Summary
Compost is a dynamic and complex habitat wherein microorganisms play fundamental roles. Bacterial communities in these systems have been extensively studied (Tiquia, 2005; Takaku et al, 2006; Thummes et al, 2007; Partanen et al, 2010; De Gannes et al, 2012, 2013). Fungi are another major group of compost microbes that contribute essential decomposition processes, the initial degradation of plant polymers (Sharma, 1989; Floudas et al, 2012). The spectrum of saprotrophic fungi that may be opportunistic human pathogens is much greater than the foregoing list, but their occurrence in composts has not been extensively explored
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