Damp Chamber Research Articles

Encapsulation and Outdoor Testing of Perovskite Solar Cells: Comparing Industrially Relevant Process with a Simplified Lab Procedure.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have shown great potential for next-generation photovoltaics. One of the main barriers to their commercial use is their poor long-term stability under ambient conditions and, in particular, their sensitivity to moisture and oxygen. Therefore, several encapsulation strategies are being developed in an attempt to improve the stability of PSCs in a humid environment. The lack of common testing procedures makes the comparison of encapsulation strategies challenging. In this paper, we optimized and investigated two common encapsulation strategies: lamination-based glass-glass encapsulation for outdoor operation and commercial use (COM) and a simple glue-based encapsulation mostly utilized for laboratory research purposes (LAB). We compare both approaches and evaluate their effectiveness to impede humidity ingress under three different testing conditions: on-shelf storage at 21 °C and 30% relative humidity (RH) (ISOS-D1), damp heat exposure at 85 °C and 85% RH (ISOS-D3), and outdoor operational stability continuously monitoring device performance for 10 months under maximum power point tracking on a roof-top test site in Berlin, Germany (ISOS-O3). LAB encapsulation of perovskite devices consists of glue and a cover glass and can be performed at ambient temperature, in an inert environment without the need for complex equipment. This glue-based encapsulation procedure allowed PSCs to retain more than 93% of their conversion efficiency after 1566 h of storage in ambient atmosphere and, therefore, is sufficient and suitable as an interim encapsulation for cell transport or short-term experiments outside an inert atmosphere. However, this simple encapsulation does not pass the IEC 61215 damp heat test and hence results in a high probability of fast degradation of the cells under outdoor conditions. The COM encapsulation procedure requires the use of a vacuum laminator and the cells to be able to withstand a short period of air exposure and at least 20 min at elevated temperatures (in our case, 150 °C). This encapsulation method enabled the cells to pass the IEC 61215 damp heat test and even to retain over 95% of their initial efficiency after 1566 h in a damp heat chamber. Above all, passing the damp heat test for COM-encapsulated devices translates to devices fully retaining their initial efficiency for the full duration of the outdoor test (>10 months). To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is one of the longest outdoor stability demonstrations for PSCs published to date. We stress that both encapsulation approaches described in this work are useful for the scientific community as they fulfill different purposes: the COM for the realization of prototypes for long-term real-condition validation and, ultimately, commercialization of perovskite solar cells and the LAB procedure to enable testing and carrying out experiments on perovskite solar cells under noninert conditions.

A Study of the Interaction of Waves with a Perforated Vertical Wall

A technique is described and results presented from laboratory-based model studies of the construction of a wall of hollow blocks possessing wave-damping properties. Practical conclusions regarding estimation of the general stability of the wall and the effectiveness of an existing damping chamber that induces attenuation of the reflection of waves and of the wave load, the elevation marks of the peak of the superstructure, etc. are formulated on the basis of an analysis of the data.

Ingoldian fungi in terrestrial damp woody litter of five tree species

Ingoldian fungi are known to occur beyond their preferred lotic habitats. There are many reports on their occurrence in tree canopies (stemflow, through fall and tree holes) and terrestrial leaf litter. This study aimed to assess the assemblage and diversity of Ingoldian fungi in terrestrial damp woody litter of five tree species grown in scrub jungles of the southwest India, following bubble (2 days) and damp chamber (14 days) incubations of segments of bark and cambium samples. Conidia released into water were trapped using Millipore filters, stained and assessed. Total 30 fungal species were recorded, with a higher species richness in bubble chamber as compared to damp chamber incubation method (25 spp. vs. 18 spp.). The bark samples in bubble chamber incubation method yielded more species than cambium samples (19 spp. vs. 16 spp.). The bark samples in bubble chamber incubation also showed the highest number of exclusive species as compared to cambium samples (8 spp. vs. 6 spp.). Simpson and Shannon diversities were higher in bark samples than cambium samples in bubble chamber incubation with low Pielou’s equitability. The frequency of occurrence of the top three species (Anguillospora longissima, Flagellospora curvula and Triscelophorus acuminatus) and top two species (A. longissima and F. curvula) were same in both samples in bubble and damp chamber incubations, respectively. The bark samples of Terminalia paniculata and cambium samples of Ficus benghalensis showed the highest number of average species in bubble chamber incubation. The bark samples of Acacia auriculiformis as well as F. benghalensis possess the highest number of average species in damp chamber incubation, while the cambium samples of Artocarpus heterophyllus showed the highest number of average species. All tree species showed the higher number of average conidia in bark samples as compared to cambium samples in bubble chamber incubation, with a highest frequency in Anacardium occidentale. The bark of Acacia auriculiformis and cambium of F. benghalensis showed the highest average conidia in damp chamber incubation. Bubble chamber incubation served as a rapid and efficient method of assessment of Ingoldian fungi in damp woody litter.

Surface condensation sensor board for damp heat chamber.

In this paper, we demonstrate the use of a surface condensation sensor board for characterizing interior space in a damp heat chamber. The sensor board is approximately 18 in. × 12 in. in dimension. A total of 324 sense electrodes are designed on the board. The uniform gap between the sense electrodes is 250 μm throughout the surface area of the board. First, the surface leakage current of the sensor board is characterized with other commercially available humidity sensors. The relationship of leakage current to humidity is determined. Surface leakage current is spatially measured inside the chamber, and localized condensation spots are identified at 85 °C/85%RH stress condition. The main goal of this article is to characterize interior space and identify less-risky locations prior to qualification of semiconductor components, optical subassemblies, and optical modules.

Cavitation erosion of the damping piston in double damping system of hydraulic rock drill and its influencing factors

The fast response property of double damping system is beneficial to improve damping characteristics. However, the intense pressure fluctuation in damping chambers often leads to the cavitation erosion of damping piston and seriously affects the normal use of seal and rock drill. The coupling model including the damping piston, damping valve, damping accumulator and connecting pipelines was established considering the structural feature and dynamic characteristics of damping system. The cavitation erosion mechanism was revealed by the simulation results. Analysis suggested that the pipeline damping and oil flow velocity between the primary and secondary damping chamber were the critical influencing factors for the cavitation erosion. The influence on system cavitation of damping valve structure and connecting pipeline types was discussed, and the reasonable range of matching parameters was given. Pressure curves in the primary, secondary damping chamber and noise spectra of cavitation were obtained by the field rock drilling test. The simulation and experimental results had consistency. The system cavitation was detected by the high-frequency pulsating pressure signal and its power spectral density analysis. This detection method provides a new approach for studying the cavitation behavior of hydraulic rock drills.

Applying of Transfer Effect and Information Entropy to Analyze the Magneto-Rheology Shock Absorber

Background . Known methods of enhancing the magneto-rheological damper operation characteristics are not enough structured to use them to calculate damping characteristics in wide temperature range, physical aspects of the transfer phenomenon are considered in the design task of the high-speed and accurate shock absorbers. Objective . The aim of the paper is to investigate transfer phenomenon and working processes of the magneto-rheological shock absorber. Methods . Experiments and calculation, based on experimental data, to describe heat and mass transfer (separately) processes including influence of the electromagnetic strength on them are carried out. Results . Processing of experimental data and calculation show that changing the electromagnetic power in range 0–26 W provides the flow regulation in range 0.25–0 ml/min. Dependence between the magnetic liquid flow rate and electromagnetic strength was established. The possibility of changing pressure difference between damper chambers by changing electrical current and voltage was proved. Conclusions. Taking into account the phenomenon of transport and physical effects makes it possible to learn the processes that occur in the magneto-rheological damper and magneto-rheological fluid more deeply. In-depth knowledge of phenomena and processes opens up new possibilities for taking into account operating modes in changing operating conditions. Despite the power consumption, the use of the magnetorheological effect is most suitable in the dampers of a small group (with a maximum resistance force of up to 600 N). The obtained law for a given fluid can be incorporated into the control algorithm for the operating characteristic of a magneto-rheological damper. The represented method provides possibility to take into account the transfer phenomenon and influence of ponderomotive force on damping characteristics of the magneto-rheology shock absorber.

Saprophytic synnematous microfungi. New records and known species for Mexico

In this contribution, 18 species of synnematous microfungi associated with plant debris are registered for the first time to the Mexican mycobiota. In addition, an account of the current state of knowledge of the synnematous species registered to date is presented. The taxonomic determination was carried out by morphological analysis of the specimens growing in natural substrate incubated in damp chambers . Arthrobotryum stilboideum, Blastocatena pulneyensis, Coremiella cubispora, Menisporopsis multisetula and Phaeoisaria clavulata are new records for the Neotropical region. Blastocatena pulneyensis, Menisporopsis anisospora and Roigiella lignicola , which have not been recorded since their original descriptions were also determined. Including the records of this study, a total of 40 species belonging to 28 genera of synnematous microfungi have been registered for Mexico. No information was found for most of the states in the country. For the 18 species recorded in the present study, descriptions, illustrations and information about their substrates and geographical distribution are provided. Reference material was deposited in the Herbarium of the Instituto de Ecologia A.C. (XAL) in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.

Highly Integrable Microfluidic Impulsion System for Precise Displacement of Liquids on Lab on PCBs

In this paper, an impulsion system for laboratory on printed circuit board (LOP) is described. The proposed system is intended to place the working liquids in a designed location of the LOP. The system is composed of a pressurization system, a microvalve, and a damping chamber. All these parts have been integrated in a microfluidic system to test the behavior of the whole system. The pressurization system allows the storage of mechanical energy to impulse liquids samples. The microvalve releases the pressure of the commented pressurization system toward the damping chamber. The blast wave effect of the microvalve opening has to be dampened. In this regard, the function of the damping chamber is to reduce the effects of the microvalve activation, resulting in good behavior. The materials used for fabricating the device are polymethylmethacrylate and printed circuit board. These materials and the fabrication process can be considered as mass production. The fabricated devices impulse 32.5 $\mu \text{L}$ during about 24s, and 21.3 $\mu \text{L}$ during 10 s, for the proposed microfluidic configurations. The errors for those impulsions are 5.3% and 6.5%, respectively. Finally, the experimental results and simulations show a good behavior of the system regarding liquid placement and time response. [2017-0293]

Substantiation of counter­vortex spillway structures of hydrotechnical facilities

The construction and reconstruction of waterworks sets a number of scientific and engineering tasks that require a new approach to their solution. One of the promising areas for solving these and a number of other problems is the use of swirling water flows in hydrotechnical facilities. The article presents the results of physical simulation of spillway counter-vortex systems. The model had a damping chamber diameter of 0.15 m and was tested at a head up to 8 mH 2 O and a flow rate up to 0.11 m 3 /s. As a result of the conducted experiments, the values of the flow coefficient of the entire system were obtained. The water-carrying capacity was determined for several modes of operation of the model by means of a combination of switching valves that brought water to the inlet nozzles of the model. In addition, a change in the mode of operation of the model was carried out by changing the vacuum in the near-vortex zone of the counter-vortex flow in a wide range. A self-similarity of the flow coefficient by the head and the Reynolds number has been established. The physical modelling has made it possible to formulate a well-grounded approach to the hydraulic calculation of counter-vortex spillway systems. One of the most important issues studied experimentally in the process of the described hydraulic tests was the determination of the energy damping capacity of counter-vortex spillways, reflecting their effectiveness. The energy damping capacity was determined by the energy damping factor, reduced to the general head in the model. The article presents the main schemes of local water flow swirlers for the formation of a counter-vortex flow, which can be used in hydrotechnical practice. Some of their geometric and hydraulic characteristics are considered. A simplified scheme of hydraulic calculation of a counter-vortex spillway structure for various types of swirlers and constructive solutions of a spillway system (an open type or an underground tunnel) is proposed. The authors compared the efficiency of the proposed method for damping the energy of the spillway flow and the hydraulic scheme with a sudden expansion of the flow according to the Borda formula. The counter-vortex method of damping the energy of the transit flow has a much higher efficiency in comparison with sudden expansion. The study suggests directions for further research on complex counter-vortex flows.

Theoretical and Experimental Research on a Three-Way Water Hydraulic Pressure Reducing Valve

A three-way water hydraulic pressure reducing valve (PRV) was developed in this paper for a test equipment in laboratory for adapting complex conditions. The designed PRV has a damping chamber with an orifice located at the spring chamber. Two types of throttles and orifice diameter were investigated through dynamic simulation and optimization, and their dimensions were determined and applied to the manufactured valve prototype. The static and dynamic performances of the valve were tested by experiments. At the preset pressure of 5.0 MPa, the outlet pressure variations for the pressure-reducing port and the relief port, are 0.73 MPa and 1.44 MPa, respectively, while the flow variation is up to 18.0 l/min. The experimental rising times and settling times of the PRV under the inlet pressure step for preset pressures of 5.0 MPa are 33.7 ms and 120.2 ms, respectively, and the overshoot is 3.76%. The test results at each preset pressure agree well with the simulation which verifies that the simulation model can be used to predict the dynamic performance of the PRV. The experimental results for the valve under flow step input conclude that it can work stably at small flow state. The research indicates that making the spring chamber a damping chamber by using an orifice is a feasible way to increase the pressure stability and the dynamic performance of the PRV. However, the damping effect of this structure is insufficient at high working pressure.

Development of an IEC test for crystalline silicon modules to qualify their resistance to system voltage stress

IEC 62804 Ed. 1, System voltage durability qualification test for crystalline silicon modules, is being developed. First, two module designs are compared in chamber and in the natural environment of Florida (USA). From these results, a stress level of 60 °C, 85% relative humidity, a bias of nameplate system voltage, 96 h dwell, and a pass/fail limit of 5% relative power degradation at 25 °C and 1000 W/m2 irradiance is initially proposed for the draft protocol. This paper next focuses on one of the main controversies within the development of this standard—the use of damp heat in an environmental chamber versus a conductive foil to complete the circuit to ground during the test. Conventional 60-cell multicrystalline silicon modules with (i) a standard aluminum frame, (ii) a modified frame, and (iii) a rear rail design were tested for potential-induced degradation (PID). These three module designs were stressed at the draft protocol conditions stated above and outdoors, applying negative system voltage bias during hours of daylight to simulate array voltage. The damp heat environmental chamber tests run according to the protocol distinguish the relative resistance of five module designs to PID in the field and correctly rank-order the durability in the field to the extent tested (up to 28 months). Finally, the degradation rate is determined at 25 °C using a foil to ground the module face on a subset of modules susceptible to PID, and the results with respect to measured field performance of the modules are discussed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Studies on three rare coprophilous plectomycetes from Italy

The concept of plectomycetes is discussed and their heterogeneity emphasised. Three ascohymenial cleistothecial ascomycetes, collected or isolated from herbivore or omnivore dung in damp chamber cultures, are described. Emericella quadrilineata and Lasiobolidium orbiculoides are discussed and compared morphologically with similar taxa. A key to Lasiobolidium and the related Orbicula is provided. The importance of the second worldwide isolation of Cleistothelebolus nipigonensis and the difficulties of distinguishing it from Pseudeurotium species are stressed. The Italian collection of C. nipigonensis from canid dung is compared with the original strain from wolf, and its epidermoid peridial tissue is regarded as one of the main morphological differentiating features from Pseudeurotium ovale. The morphological characteristics of the monospecific genus Cleistothelebolus are discussed and compared with those of Pseudeurotiaceae and Thelebolaceae, particularly with Pseudeurotium and Thelebolus. ITS and LSU rDNA sequences of the Cleistothelebolus isolate support its placement in Thelebolaceae.

Omar Ghannoum: an irresistible force for change

Omar Ghannoum: an irresistible force for change

A comparative study of Neogymnomyces virgineus, a new keratinolytic species from dung, and its relationships with the Onygenales

Isolations of onygenalean fungi were made recently from different dung samples from Italy. A striking snow-white species with gymnothecial ascomata, developed in damp chamber on dormouse dung collected in a cave, was subjected to keratinolytic tests and morphological, cultural, and phylogenetic studies. The keratinolytic ability of this species, associated with a Chrysosporium anamorph and a sexual state of appendiculate reticuloperidia and oblate ascospores, allows it to be accomodated in Onygenaceae. White ascomata, blunt or subcapitate peridial appendages, pitted ascospores, and tuberculate conidia suggest it to be a new Neogymnomyces, and this was confirmed by parsimony analyses of LSU and ITS nrDNA sequences. Following recent phylogenetic analyses, the morphological and physiological features of order Onygenales and its families are re–examined and discussed. After the introduction of a new species, Neogymnomyces is reviewed and compared with all other genera in Onygenaceae. The Chrysosporium imperfect state of Neogymnomyces virgineus is described and compared to the anamorph of N. demonbreunii. It is also compared to the atypical Chrysosporium merdarium and to several other Chrysosporium species with echinulate to verrucose–tuberculate conidia, isolated from guano, dung, and nitrogen–rich soils in caves. The onygenalean fungi isolated from any kind of dung are discussed and their facultative coprophily ascribed to variable faecal contents of keratin or other degradable substances. A key to the families and genera of the Onygenales is provided.

Why everlastings don't last.

The Cape Floral Region represents one of the world's biodiversity hot spots, with a high level of plant, animal and insect endemism. The fungi occurring in this region, however, remain poorly studied. It is widely postulated that each plant species should harbour at least five to six unique fungal species, a number that we regard to be a huge underestimate. To test this hypothesis, we decided to study a single senescent flower of Phaenocoma prolifera ('everlasting'; Asteraceae) collected in South Africa, and posed the question as to how many different species of fungi could be isolated and cultivated from 10 leaf bracts. Using a damp chamber technique, numerous microfungi could be induced to sporulate, enabling most of them to be successfully isolated on artificial agar media. Isolates were subsequently subjected to DNA sequencing of the ITS and LSU nrDNA regions. During the course of this study 17 species could be cultivated and identified, of which 11 appeared to be new to science. These include Catenulostroma hermanusense, Cladosporium phaenocomae, Devriesia tardicrescens, Exophiala capensis, Penidiella aggregata, P. ellipsoidea, Teratosphaeria karinae, Toxicocladosporium pseudoveloxum spp. nov., and Xenophacidiella pseudocatenata gen. & sp. nov. Further studies are now required to determine if these fungi also occur as endophytes in healthy flowers. If this trend holds true for other plant hosts from southern Africa, it would suggest that there are many more fungi present in the Cape Floral Region than estimated in previous studies.

Diversity of lignicolous and Ingoldian fungi on woody litter from the River Kali (Western Ghats, India)

Three hundred and sixty woody litter samples naturally deposited in a stream and dammed section of the River Kali in southwest India were assessed for the diversity of lignicolous fungi (ascomycetes and anamorphic fungi) via damp chamber incubation and aquatic hyphomycetes (Ingoldian fungi) via bubble chamber incubation. Fifty-six fungal taxa were recorded with the highest of 47 taxa in the stream and 34 taxa in the dam. Twenty-five taxa were common to both sites. The core group (≥10%) comprised one ascomycete (Massarina australiensis), two anamorphic taxa (Acrogenospora sphaerocephala and Sporoschisma saccardoi) and 11 Ingoldian fungi (Anguillospora crassa, A. longissima, Clavariana aquatica, Cylindrocarpon sp., Flagellospora curvula, F. penicillioides, Lunulospora curvula, L. cymbiformis, Lunulospora sp., Triscelophorus acuminatus, T. monosporus). The species richness, average taxa per wood sample, richness of core group fungi and fungal diversity were higher in the Kaiga stream than in the Kadra dam. Species abundance curves showed higher frequency of occurrence of fungi in the stream than in the dam woody litter. The rarefaction indices of fungal species against number of wood samples revealed similar pattern of ascomycetes in both locations, while the richness of anamorphic and Ingoldian taxa was higher in the stream than in the dam. The anamorph/teleomorph ratio ranged between 2.4:1 (Kadra dam) and 3.3:1 (Kaiga stream), which is higher than the ratios reported from other geographical locations (0.7:1−2:1). This study reconfirmed that the method of incubation influences the assessment of fungal communities in woody litter and that Ingoldian fungi also constitute an important component of woody litter.

The Spatial Distribution of Fungi on Decomposing Woody Litter in a Freshwater Stream, Western Ghats, India

We mapped filamentous fungal association with mechanically "hard" and "soft" woody litter naturally deposited in a stream of the Western Ghats of India. Using a durometer (rubber hardness tester), the toughness of surface of wood collected from stream was determined by considering durometer reading from 60-72 to 30-37 as hardwood and softwood, respectively. From each wood (1.5 cm diameter), two segments each of 3 cm length were excised and vertically cut into nine sections comprising eight marginal and one central section. From three stream locations, hardwood and softwood sections were assessed for the occurrence of lignicolous and Ingoldian fungi. A first set of wood sections was incubated in damp chambers up to 4 months with periodical screening (every 2 weeks) for lignicolous fungi. Another set was incubated in bubble chambers up to 72 h to ascertain colonization of Ingoldian fungi. In hardwood sections, 17 lignicolous fungi (ascomycetes, four; mitosporic fungi, 13; mean, 6.8; range, 6-8/section) and ten Ingoldian fungi (mean, 2; range, 0-4/section) comprising nine lignicolous (11.1-40.7%) and three Ingoldian (11.1-14.8%) fungi as core-group taxa were recovered. In softwood, ten lignicolous fungi (ascomycetes, 0; mitosporic fungi, ten; mean, 3.8; range, 2-5/section) and 26 Ingoldian fungi (mean, 8.1; range, 5-10/section) comprising six lignicolous (11.1-85.2%) and 12 Ingoldian (11.1-88.9%) fungi as core-group taxa were recovered. The ratio of lignicolous fungi/Ingoldian fungi was higher in hardwood than softwood (1.7 vs. 0.4). The spore output of Ingoldian fungi was higher in softwood (mean, 901 g(-1); range, 80-2546 g(-1)) than hardwood (mean, 21 g(-1); range, 0-140 g(-1)). The Shannon diversity of lignicolous fungi was higher in hardwood than softwood (3.604 vs. 2.665), whereas it was opposite for Ingoldian fungi (3.116 vs. 3.918). The overall fungal diversity was higher in softwood than hardwood (4.413 vs. 4.219). The range of Jaccard's index of similarity among wood sections was higher in lignicolous fungi (8-71% and 13-75%) than Ingoldian fungi (0-50% and 8-55%) in hardwood and softwood. The rarefaction indices of expected number of taxa against hardwood sections revealed higher and persistent lignicolous fungi than the Ingoldian fungi, while the Ingoldian fungi were persistent in softwood sections, although they were lower than lignicolous fungi. Our study demonstrated the dominance of lignicolous fungi and Ingoldian fungi in hardwood and softwood, respectively.

Interactions Between Testate Amoebae and Saprotrophic Microfungi in a Scots Pine Litter Microcosm

In all terrestrial ecosystems, testate amoebae (TA) encounter fungi. There are strong indications that both groups engage in multiple interactions, including mycophagy and decomposition of TA shells, processes which might be fundamental in nutrient cycling in certain ecosystems. Here, we present the results of an experiment focusing on interactions between TA and saprotrophic microfungi colonizing Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) litter needles. The needles were collected from a temperate pine forest and cultivated in damp chambers. Over a few weeks, melanized mycelium of Anavirga laxa Sutton started to grow out of some needles; simultaneously, the common forest-soil TA Phryganella acropodia (Hertwig and Lesser) Hopkinson reproduced and spread around the mycelium. We investigated whether a potential relationship between TA and saprotrophic microfungi exists by comparing the composition of TA communities on and around the needles and testing the spatial relationship between the A. laxa mycelium and P. acropodia shells in the experimental microcosm. Additionally, we asked whether P. acropodia utilized the A. laxa mycelium as a nutrient source and screened whether P. acropodia shells were colonized by the microfungi inhabiting the experimental microcosm. Our results indicate that saprotrophic microfungi may affect the composition of TA communities and their mycelium may affect distribution of TA individuals in pine litter. Our observations suggest that P. acropodia did not graze directly on A. laxa mycelium, but rather fed on its exudates or bacteria associated with the exudates. The fungus Pochonia bulbillosa (Gams & Malla) Zare & Gams was often found parasitising encysted shells or decomposing already dead individuals of P. acropodia. TA and pine litter microfungi engage in various direct and indirect interactions which are still poorly understood and deserve further investigation. Their elucidation will improve our knowledge on fundamental processes influencing coexistence of soil microflora and microfauna.

Wood-inhabiting filamentous fungi in 12 high-altitude streams of the Western Ghats by damp incubation and bubble chamber incubation

The diversity and distribution of fungi on naturally submerged wood from 12 high-altitude streams of the Western Ghats in India were studied by damp chamber incubation and bubble chamber incubation. The damp chamber incubation of wood samples yielded 29 fungal taxa (17 anamorphs, 11 ascomycetes, 1 basidiomycete). Acrogenospora sphaerocephala, Canalisporium sp., Dictyosporium heptasporum, Leptosphaeria ginimia, L. typharum, Massarina australiensis, Sporoschisma saccardoi, and Sporoschismopsis australiensis were the most common taxa and were widely distributed on wood in streams of the Western Ghats. The bubble chamber incubation of bark and cambium revealed 30 aquatic hyphomycetes (bark, 28; cambium, 18). Anguillospora longissima, Flagellospora curvula, F. penicillioides, and Lunulospora curvula were most common in bark as well as cambium. There was only 1 species (Helicomyces roseus) that was identified following both incubation methods, indicating that methodology influences the detection of fungal communities. It is recommended that studies on freshwater fungi should incorporate both damp incubation and bubble chamber techniques.

Wood-inhabiting filamentous fungi in 12 high-altitude streams of the Western Ghats by damp incubation and bubble chamber incubation

The diversity and distribution of fungi on naturally submerged wood from 12 high-altitude streams of the Western Ghats in India were studied by damp chamber incubation and bubble chamber incubation. The damp chamber incubation of wood samples yielded 29 fungal taxa (17 anamorphs, 11 ascomycetes, 1 basidiomycete). Acrogenospora sphaerocephala, Canalisporium sp., Dictyosporium heptasporum, Leptosphaeria ginimia, L. typharum, Massarina australiensis, Sporoschisma saccardoi, and Sporoschismopsis australiensis were the most common taxa and were widely distributed on wood in streams of the Western Ghats. The bubble chamber incubation of bark and cambium revealed 30 aquatic hyphomycetes (bark, 28; cambium, 18). Anguillospora longissima, Flagellospora curvula, F. penicillioides, and Lunulospora curvula were most common in bark as well as cambium. There was only 1 species (Helicomyces roseus) that was identified following both incubation methods, indicating that methodology influences the detection of fungal communities. It is recommended that studies on freshwater fungi should incorporate both damp incubation and bubble chamber techniques.