Seasonal distribution of soil fungi and chemical properties of montane wet temperate forest types of Tamil Nadu.

Abstract

Forty eight soil samples were collected from Wet evergreen forest of Tamil Nadu, Southern India; the fungi from these soil samples were isolated in (June – July) South West monsoon and (November – December) North East resting monsoon both seasons. About different species belongs to various groups viz; Ascomycotina, Zygomycotina and Deuteromycotina were identified with the help of relevant literatures. A total of 76 taxa belonging to 25 genera were isolated, these include one species of Acomycetes, one species of Coelomycetes five species of Zygomycetes and remaining species were Deuteromycetes. Twenty one species of Penicillium and 14 species of Aspergillus were also recorded from both seasons. None of the basidiomycetes could be isolated from these soils in spite of our best efforts. The diversity indices of forest soil fungi over the two seasons were 2.953, 2.699 (Shannon-Weinner), 0.9033, 0.8491 (Simpson index) and 0.2219, 0.3485 (Fishers’s alpha), respectively. The soil nutrients were also analyzed for montane wet temperate forest. The macro nutrients such as N, P, K content were rich in after the raining season and organic content of natural soil was also increased. Key words: Soil fungi, diversity, forest soil, seasonal distribution, soil nutrients.