Spore Diversity Research Articles

Paleosols and Weathering Crusts of the Middle-Late Devonian in the Mikhailovskii Quarry (Kursk Magnetic Anomaly)

Devonian deposits in the Mikhailovskii Mining and Processing Plant quarry comprising weathering crusts and paleosols have been studied. Comparative analysis of the morphological, geochemical, and mineralogical properties of paleosols and weathering crusts allows revealing differences primarily due to biotic processes in soils and vital activity of plants and microorganisms. The presence of root systems, plant imprints, spore diversity, and horizontal profile manifested in the formation of humus-accumulative horizon, the profile differentiation of clay minerals, and the profile distribution of geochemical indices and ratios are key characteristics classifying the objects of study as paleosols.

One year investigation of the prevalence and diversity of clostridial spores in raw milk from the Tokachi area of Hokkaido.

We investigated the seasonal prevalence and diversity of clostridial spores in raw milk from the Tokachi area of Hokkaido. Samples of raw milk were collected quarterly from May 2013 through February 2014. The mean clostridial spore count for the raw milk from 336 milk tankers was 27.6CFU/100ml. The clostridial species isolated most frequently from raw milk samples was Clostridium tyrobutyricum. The dominant species was C.tyrobutyricum regardless of the season. The percentage of samples with low spore counts (<10CFU/100ml) was highest (60.9%) during winter (February) and lowest (34.5%) in autumn (November). In comparison, the percentage of samples with high spore counts (>100CFU/100ml) was highest (5.7%) in autumn (November) and lowest (1.1%) during spring (May).

ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI (AMF) IN CASHEW PLANTS (Anacardium occindentale L.) IN DATAH VILLAGE, ABANG DISTRICT OF KARANGASEM REGENCY

Isolation and identification of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in cashew plants was carried out in Datah Village, Abang District of Karangasem Regency. This study aims to determine the diversity of mycorrhizal spores in the cashew rhizosphere and AMF infections in the roots of cashew plants. The result in microscopic observations found 5 genera of AMF spores such as Glomus, Racocetra, Entrophospora, Septoglomus, and Acaulospora and the population of the genus Glomus were found most dominant in the rhizosphere of cashew plants. The result of staining root with trypan blue obtained the internal structure of AMF in the form of vesicles, arbuscules and hyphae found in root tissue of cashew plants. The result of AMF DNA amplification with primer NS31 and AML2 showed 560 bp bands in electrophoresis with 1% agarose gel determined AMF infection in root of cashew plants.

Diversity of fungal spores associated with Rhizospheric soil of Juniper Communis, Juniper Recurva and Juniper Macropoda of cold deserts of Himachal Pradesh

Diversity of fungal spores associated with Rhizospheric soil of Juniper Communis, Juniper Recurva and Juniper Macropoda of cold deserts of Himachal Pradesh

Communities of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with perennial grasses of different forage quality exposed to defoliation

Vegetation management practices, such as defoliation may alter the composition of plant communities and/or the fungi-forming arbuscular mycorrhiza (AMF). We determined the species identity, density, frequency and diversity of AMF spores from soil under the canopies of three native perennial grass species in rangelands of Argentina: 1) Poa ligularis and Nassella tenuis (preferred by livestock) and 2) Amelichloa ambigua (not preferred). For each species, plants either remained undefoliated or were defoliated twice to a 5 cm stubble height during the growing season. Most active meristems remained on the plants after defoliations. AMF communities were sampled prior to (i.e., 48 soil samples) and following (i.e., 72 soil samples) each defoliation event. Spores were grouped in 15 morphospecies. Density, richness and diversity of AMF spores were not influenced by defoliation, and species richness and diversity of AMF were similar among species. Total spore density was greatest for P. ligularis at the sampling prior to defoliation, but this difference did not persist following the defoliation events. The most abundant AMF families were: Acaulosporaceae, Diversisporaceae and Glomeraceae. These results demonstrate that responses of the studied variables were insensitive to the defoliation treatments, and were largely unaffected by the studied grass species.

Intercropping Acacia mangium stimulates AMF colonization and soil phosphatase activity in Eucalyptus grandis

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are very important to plant nutrition, mostly in terms of acquisition of P and micronutrients. While Acacia mangium is closely associated with AMF throughout the whole cycle, Eucalyptus grandis presents this symbiosis primarily at the seedling stage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dynamics of AMF in these two tree species in both pure and mixed plantations during the first 20 months after planting. We evaluated the abundance, richness and diversity of AMF spores, the rate of AMF mycorrhizal root colonization, enzymatic activity and soil and litter C, N and P. There was an increase in AMF root colonization of E. grandis when intercropped with A. mangium as well as an increase in the activity of acid and alkaline phosphatase in the presence of leguminous trees. AMF colonization and phosphatase activities were both involved in improvements in P cycling and P nutrition in soil. In addition, P cycling was favored in the intercropped plantation, which showed negative correlation with litter C/N and C/P ratios and positive correlation with soil acid phosphatase activity and soil N and P concentrations. Intercropping A. mangium and E. grandis maximized AMF root colonization of E. grandis and phosphatase activity in the soil, both of which accelerate P cycling and forest performance.

Palynology of Triassic–Jurassic boundary sections in northern Switzerland

A first palynostratigraphic scheme of Upper Triassic deposits in northern Switzerland was established based on spore-pollen associations and dinoflagellate cyst records from the upper part of the Upper Triassic Klettgau Formation and the lower part of the Lower Jurassic Staffelegg Formation. Drill cores from the Adlerberg region (Basel Tabular Jura) and from Weiach (northern part of Canton Zurich) as well as from an outcrop at the Chilchzimmersattel (Basel Folded Jura) were studied and five informal palynological associations are distinguished. These palynological associations correlate with palynological association of the Central European Epicontinental Basin and the Tethyan realm and provide a stratigraphic framework for the uppermost Triassic sediments in northern Switzerland. Throughout the uppermost Triassic to Jurassic palynological succession a remarkable prominence of Classopollis spp. is observed. Besides Classopollis spp. the three Rhaetian palynological associations A to C from the Upper Triassic Belchen Member include typical Rhaetian spore-pollen and dinoflagellate taxa (e.g., Rhaetipollis germanicus, Geopollis zwolinskae, Rhaetogonyaulax rhaetica, and Dapcodinium priscum). Association B differs from association A in a higher relative abundance of the sporomorph taxa Perinopollenites spp. and the consistent occurrence of Granuloperculatipollis rudis and Ricciisporites tuberculatus. Spore diversity is highest in the late Rhaetian palynological association C and includes Polypodiisporites polymicroforatus. A Rhaetian age for the Belchen Member is confirmed by palynological associations A–C, but there is no record of the latest Rhaetian and the earliest Jurassic. In contrast to the Rhaetian palynological associations the Early Jurassic associations W and D include Pinuspollenites spp., Trachysporites fuscus (in association W), and Ischyosporites variegatus. In the view of the end-Triassic mass extinction and contemporaneous environmental changes the described palynofloral succession represents the pre-extinction phase (associations A and B) including a distinct transgression, the extinction phase (association C) associated with a regression, and the post-extinction phase (association W).

Revisiting the spore assemblages from the Lower Devonian Posongchong Formation of Wenshan, Yunnan Province, southwestern China

ABSTRACTThe Lower Devonian Posongchong Formation (Wenshan, Yunnan Province, southwestern China) consists of a series of continental deposits with an outstanding plant megafossil diversity. More than 20 years ago, this formation was interpreted as ‘Siegenian' (∼Pragian) in age based on palynology. However, such interpretation needs further evidence because of the known differences between the dispersed spore assemblages from South China and Euramerica/northwestern Gondwana. Here, we present new dispersed spore assemblages recently recovered from the Posongchong Formation. The isolated spore diversity is highly diverse, with 18 genera and 32 species. The recognised taxa include, among others, Ambitisporites avitus, Aneurospora conica, Aneurospora posongchongensis sp. nov., Aneurospora xujiachongensis, Apiculiretusispora plicata, Archaeozonotriletes chulus, Concentricosisporites agradabilis, Dibolisporites echinaceus, Emphanisporites rotatus, Gneudnaspora divellomedia, Latosporites ovalis, Retusotriletes triangulatus, Tetrahedraletes medinensis and Verrucosporites polygonalis, with Aneurospora and Retusotriletes being the most abundant forms. The known Posongchong palynoflora (previous spore data included) suggests that the Posongchong Formation assemblages can be correlated with the Pragian interval of the polygonalis–wetteldorfensis Oppel Zone (PoW). This age determination is supported by the presence of index species of PoW, such as Verrucosporites polygonalis, Dictyotriletes subgranifer and Camarozonotriletes parvus (sensu Steemans, 1989), the latter being known only from the Pragian of Belgium and Germany. Recent advances in the study of the marine faunas in the overlying sequences also indicate a Pragian age for the Posongchong Formation. This new investigation of the Posongchong palynoflora highlights differences of abundance at species level between the Gondwanan–Laurussian floras during the Early Devonian.

Fungal Communities Including Plant Pathogens in Near Surface Air Are Similar across Northwestern Europe.

Information on the diversity of fungal spores in air is limited, and also the content of airborne spores of fungal plant pathogens is understudied. In the present study, a total of 152 air samples were taken from rooftops at urban settings in Slagelse, DK, Wageningen NL, and Rothamsted, UK together with 41 samples from above oilseed rape fields in Rothamsted. Samples were taken during 10-day periods in spring and autumn, each sample representing 1 day of sampling. The fungal content of samples was analyzed by metabarcoding of the fungal internal transcribed sequence 1 (ITS1) and by qPCR for specific fungi. The metabarcoding results demonstrated that season had significant effects on airborne fungal communities. In contrast, location did not have strong effects on the communities, even though locations were separated by up to 900 km. Also, a number of plant pathogens had strikingly similar patterns of abundance at the three locations. Rooftop samples were more diverse than samples taken above fields, probably reflecting greater mixing of air from a range of microenvironments for the rooftop sites. Pathogens that were known to be present in the crop were also found in air samples taken above the field. This paper is one of the first detailed studies of fungal composition in air with the focus on plant pathogens and shows that it is possible to detect a range of pathogens in rooftop air samplers using metabarcoding.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in an iron mining area and its surroundings: Inoculum potential, density, and diversity of spores related to soil properties

ABSTRACT Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) interact symbiotically with most plant species, facilitating revegetation of areas under rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inoculum potential, density, and diversity of AMF spores in five environments, as well as the relation of species with soil properties. Soil samples were collected in five environments in a mining area and its surroundings in the Quadrilátero Ferrífero, Minas Gerais (Brazil): tailings piles in rehabilitation with grass, canga, Cerrado, native forest, and eucalyptus plantation; these samples were subjected to chemical and physical analyses. Spores were directly extracted from field samples and from trap cultures (TCs) established in two locations in the Southeast and South regions of Brazil for taxonomic identification of the species. Species richness, the Shannon diversity index (H’), and equitability were determined. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify soil properties that most influenced AMF occurrence. Spore density showed no significant difference among the environments. A total of 59 AMF species were found. This is the first report of the occurrence of Acaulospora nivalis and Acaulospora alpina in Brazil. Higher H’ and species richness in the field were found in tailings piles and lower in canga. Canga showed higher inoculum potential. The development of TCs in two locations allowed a wider diversity of AMF species to be captured. Environments of the Quadrilátero Ferrífero are hotspots of AMF diversity, and the soil pH and exchangeable S and P contents are the properties that best explain the distribution of AMF species.

Phenotypic and genotypic diversity of airborne fungal spores in Dem\xe4novsk\xe1 Ice Cave (Low Tatras, Slovakia)

This paper is the first aero-mycological report from Demänovská Ice Cave. Fungal spores were sampled from the internal and external air of the cave in June, 2014, using the impact method with a microbiological air sampler. Airborne fungi cultured on PDA medium were identified using a combination of classical phenotypic and molecular methods. Altogether, the presence of 18 different fungal spores, belonging to 3 phyla, 9 orders and 14 genera, was detected in the air of the cave. All of them were isolated from the indoor samples, and only 9 were obtained from the outdoor samples. Overall, airborne fungal spores belonging to the genus Cladosporium dominated in this study. However, the spores of Trametes hirsuta were most commonly found in the indoor air samples of the cave and the spores of C. herbarum in the outdoor air samples. On the other hand, the spores of Alternaria abundans, Arthrinium kogelbergense, Cryptococcus curvatus, Discosia sp., Fomes fomentarius, Microdochium seminicola and T. hirsuta were discovered for the first time in the air of natural and artificial underground sites. The external air of the cave contains more culturable airborne fungal spores (755 colony-forming units (CFU) per 1 m3 of air) than the internal air (from 47 to 273 CFU in 1 m3), and these levels of airborne spore concentration do not pose a threat to the health of tourists. Probably, the specific microclimate in the cave, including the constant presence of ice caps and low temperature, as well as the location and surrounding environment, contributes to the unique species composition of aeromycota and their spores in the cave. Thus, aero-mycological monitoring of underground sites seems to be very important for their ecosystems, and it may help reduce the risk of fungal infections in humans and other mammals that may arise in particular due to climate change.

Palynofloral associations before and after the Permian–Triassic mass extinction, Kap Stosch, East Greenland

The Permian–Triassic boundary (PTB) interval is known to document a major biodiversity crisis in the history of life. It is generally accepted that this crisis had a significant impact on marine invertebrates. The consequences for terrestrial ecosystems are still controversially discussed. Based on palynological analysis we present a high time resolution microfloral succession of the expanded Late Permian (Wuchiapingian)–Early Triassic (Dienerian) section from Kap Stosch, East Greenland. The quantitative distribution of palynomorphs (range charts and relative abundance data) allows for the differentiation of six distinct palynofloral associations. Ammonoids and conodonts provide independent age control for these assemblages. The Wuchiapingian association I, documented from the Ravnefjeld Formation, shows a typical Late Permian assemblage dominated by bisaccate and monosaccate pollen grains and Vittatina spp. It is separated from association II, present in the basal part of the Wordie Creek Formation, by an important hiatus. This association of Changhsingian or earliest Griesbachian age is characterised by the common occurrence of Ephedripites spp. and reduced abundance and diversity of Vittatina spp. Association III, dated as Griesbachian by the presence of ammonoids, is marked by high relative abundances of taeniate bisaccate pollen grains and high spore diversity. A distinct floral break occurs between the gymnosperm dominated Permian and Griesbachian floras and the lycopsid spore dominated Dienerian associations IV–VI. Ammonoid occurrences verify a Dienerian age for the latter associations. Association V is marked by the absence of non-taeniate bisaccate, striate monosaccate pollen grains, and Vittatina spp. Aratrisporites spp. a typical Triassic lycopsid spore occur consistently from this level onwards. Association VI is characterised by highest lycopsid spore abundances. Cluster analysis demonstrates that Griesbachian assemblages (associations II?–III) are similar to Permian ones and clearly differ from Dienerian assemblages confirming a major floral turn-over near the Griesbachian–Dienerian boundary. In contrast to the commonly advocated idea of a profound effect of the PTB crisis on terrestrial ecosystem, the present data set shows no major effect of the PTB event on floral diversity. Strikingly, considering species numbers alone, the major floral event at the Griesbachian–Dienerian boundary is also indistinct, but sticks out from abundance data, emphasising the necessity to consider both species ranges and abundances data to characterise terrestrial ecosystem dynamics in critical time intervals. Generally we note a gradual disappearance of Permian floral elements such as Vittatina spp., Weylandites spp. or Florinites spp. and a gradual appearance and diversification of typical Triassic spores such Aratrisporites spp. and Densoisporites nejburgii.

Impacto do controle de plantas espontâneas sobre propágulos de fmas e micorrização de cafeeiro

A manutenção de uma comunidade diversificada e ativa de fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMAs) em ecossistemas agrícolas é importante para a sustentabilidade de culturas como a do cafeeiro. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito de técnicasde controle de plantas espontâneas, aplicadas na entrelinha do cafeeiro, sobre a ocorrência de propágulos de FMAs e, consequentemente, namicorrização desta cultura. Esta avaliação foi realizada em uma lavoura de café da Fazenda Experimental da Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária de Minas Gerais (Epamig), em São Sebastião do Paraíso (MG). As técnicas de controle de plantas espontâneas foram: 1) roçadora, 2) grade, 3) enxada rotativa, 4) herbicida de pré-emergência, 5) herbicida de pós-emergência, 6) capina manual e 7) controle sem capina. As variáveis analisadas foram: intensidade e porcentagem de colonização, comprimento de micélio ativo e total no solo, densidade e diversidade de esporos. Entre as técnicas de controle de plantas espontâneas nas entrelinhas de cafeeiro, a aplicação de roçadora, de grade e de capina manual foram as que mais favoreceram a manutenção dos propágulos de FMAs e a micorrização das plantas, contrariamente ao uso de herbicidas de pré-emergência.

Activity, diversity and function of arbuscular mycorrhizae vary with changes in agricultural management intensity

Many beneficial soil microbes are sensitive to chemical and mechanical disturbances associated with conventional row crop agriculture, including arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. AM fungi provide agricultural benefits through multiple mechanisms including increasing crop pathogen resistance, helping with crop nutrient acquisition, and increasing soil carbon storage. Conversion to less intensive row crop agricultural management systems such as biologically-based organic and no-till may reduce the negative effects of conventional management to AM fungi. In this study, AM fungus activity (via glomalin production), spore diversity, community structure, and community stability were surveyed over 20 years in no-till, biologically-based organic, and conventionally managed plots at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station Long Term Ecological Research Site in Michigan, USA. A complementary greenhouse experiment tested for direct effects of AM fungal inocula from these different agricultural management treatments on growth of corn and wheat plants. Soil glomalin increased in no-till and organic management systems, most likely due to decreases in disturbance associated with tillage and chemical inputs. No-till management slightly increased AM fungus diversity and community stability. AM fungus community structure significantly differed between conventional and no-till treatments, with an indicator species analysis showing that Acaulospora spp. were characteristic of conventional management, while Glomus spp. and Gigaspora spp. were associated with no-till management. AM fungal inocula from organically-managed treatments increased wheat, but not corn, growth. Overall, conversion from long-term conventional row crop agricultural management to no-till or biologically-based organic systems increased soil glomalin, but did not uniformly improve AM fungus diversity or crop plant benefits. In the future, novel agricultural systems combining organic management with conservation tillage may further improve AM fungal benefits to soils and crops.

Estimating the abundance of airborne pollen and fungal spores at variable elevations using an aircraft: how high can they fly?

Airborne pollen and fungal spores are monitored mainly in highly populated, urban environments, for allergy prevention purposes. However, their sources can frequently be located outside cities’ fringes with more vegetation. So as to shed light to this paradox, we investigated the diversity and abundance of airborne pollen and fungal spores at various environmental regimes. We monitored pollen and spores using an aircraft and a car, at elevations from sea level to 2,000 m above ground, in the region of Thesssaloniki, Greece. We found a total of 24 pollen types and more than 15 spore types. Pollen and spores were detected throughout the elevational transect. Lower elevations exhibited higher pollen concentrations in only half of plant taxa and higher fungal spore concentrations in only Ustilago. Pinaceae and Quercus pollen were the most abundant recorded by airplane (>54% of the total). Poaceae pollen were the most abundant via car measurements (>77% of the total). Cladosporium and Alternaria spores were the most abundant in all cases (aircraft: >69% and >17%, car: >45% and >27%, respectively). We conclude that pollen and fungal spores can be diverse and abundant even outside the main source area, evidently because of long-distance transport incidents.

Diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi of Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) Fields of the East of Algeria

In Algeria, in the semi-arid and arid areas cereal production is limited because of many constraints like lack of mineral elements (phosphorus and nitrogen), low organic matter and an insufficient water reserve due to the low rainfall. Most researches on durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) are undertaken to increase its productivity. In recent years several methods have been used including using microorganisms. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) appear to have important roles in plants in various soil conditions. In Algeria and particularly in the eastern regions, the diversity of AMF spores in the soil is so far little studied. In this context this study focuses on the study of the diversity and the abundance of AMF spores in Triticum durum Desf. fields in arid, semi-arid and coastal regions. Soil samples were collected and characterized and the spores isolated by the wet sieving methods were observed, counted and identified. The results of the physic-chemical characterization of all soil samples reveal a clay loam, loam clay and loam sandy soils with an alkaline pH (7.54-8.27), a total nitrogen content from 0.023 to 0.082% and phosphorus content ranging from 1.63% to 7.74%. We noted the presence of several morphotypes that were classified as follow: Glomeraceae, Acaulosporaceae and Scutellosporaceae with a predominance of Glomeraceae in different sites depending on climate and soil type. The presence of these families demonstrates a biodiversity of the eastern wheat fields of Algeria.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community composition associated with Juniperus brevifolia in native Azorean forest

The communities of glomeromycotan fungi (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, AMF) under native Juniperus brevifolia forest from two Azorean islands, Terceira and São Miguel, were compared, mainly by spore morphology, and when possible, by molecular analysis. Thirty-nine morphotypes were detected from 12 genera. Glomeromycotan fungal richness was similar in Terceira and São Miguel, but significantly different among the four fragments of native forest. Spore diversity and community composition differed significantly between the two islands. The less degraded island, Terceira, showed 10 exclusive morphotypes including more rare types, whereas the more disturbed forest on São Miguel showed 13 morphs, mostly of common types. Forests from Terceira were dominated by Acaulosporaceae and Glomeraceae. Whereas members of Acaulosporaceae, Glomeraceae and Ambisporaceae were most frequent and abundant in those from São Miguel. Spore abundance was greatest on Terceira, and correlated with soil chemical properties (pH), average monthly temperature and relative humidity.

Spatiotemporal variation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal colonization in olive (Olea europaea L.) roots across a broad mesic-xeric climatic gradient in North Africa.

This study aims to determine the spatiotemporal dynamics of root colonization and spore density of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the rhizosphere of olive trees (Olea europaea) with different plantation ages and under different climatic areas in Algeria. Soil and root samples were seasonally collected from three olive plantations of different ages. Other samples were carried out in productive olive orchards cultivated under a climatic gradient (desertic, semi-arid, subhumid, and humid). The olive varieties analysed in this study were Blanquette, Rougette, Chemlel and the wild-olive. Spore density, mycorrhization intensity (M%), spore diversity and the most probable number (MPN) were determined. Both the intensity of mycorrhizal colonization and spore density increased with the increase of seasonal precipitation and decreased with the increase of air temperature regardless of the climatic region or olive variety. The variety Rougette had the highest mycorrhizal levels in all plantation ages and climates. Spore community was composed of the genera Rhizophagus, Funneliformis, Glomus, Septoglomus, Gigaspora, Scutellospora and Entrophospora. The genus Glomus, with four species, predominated in all climate regions. Spores of Gigaspora sp. and Scutellospora sp. were the most abundant in desertic plantations. Statistical models indicated a positive relationship between spore density and M% during spring and winter in young seedlings and old plantations. A significant positive relationship was found between MPN and spore density under different climates. For a mycotrophic species, the rhizosphere of olive trees proved to be poor in mycorrhiza in terms of mycorrhizal colonization and numbers of the infective AMF propagules.

Palynology, palynofacies and paleoenvironmental studies of the Late Devonian sediments of the Atiavi-1 well, Keta Basin, southeastern Ghana

Palynomorph and palynofacies analysis have been performed on 34 cutting samples from the Late Devonian sediments of the Atiavi-1 well in the Keta Basin. Five (5) palynofacies associations linked to different depositional environments have been identified based on the kerogen content in the samples. Palynofacies types Pf A, Pf B and Pf E reflect deposition under mud-dominated oxic shelf conditions (distal shelf), characterized by kerogen type III > IV which is gas prone. Palynofacies type C (Pf C) and D (Pf D) reflect heterolithic oxic shelf (proximal) conditions and are also characterized by type III or IV kerogen.The palynomorph associations (miospores, acritarchs and chitinozoans) indicate an offshore distal or outer shelf environment for the lower section (1490 m–1244 m) with the upper sections (1244 m–936 m) showing intermixing of land - derived elements (miospores, phytoclasts and cuticles) with minor amounts of acritarchs, which strongly suggests deposition in shallow marine/fluvio-deltaic environment. The abundance and diversity of spores is an indication of humid climatic condition which existed at the time of deposition.Palynomorphs with marker species based mainly on miospores assemblages and some diagnostic chitinozoans and acritarchs association from the Atiavi-1 well indicate an age of upper lower Devonian (Emsian) to latest Devonian (Strunian).

Characterization of fungal spores in ambient particulate matter: A study from the Himalayan region

Fungal spores as a constituent of ambient particulate matter (PM) is of concern; they not only display the physical traits of a particle, but are also potential allergens and health risk. An investigation over fourteen month was undertaken at a rural site located in the Western Himalayan region, to evaluate the PM associated fungal spores' concentration and diversity. The season-wise change in the fungal spores concentration in the Coarse Particulate Matter (CPM) fraction (aerodynamic diameter > 10 μm) varied from 500 to 3899 spores m−3. Their average concentration over 14 months was 1517 spores m−3. Significant diversity of fungal spores in the CPM samples was observed; 27 individual genera of fungal spores were identified, of which many were known allergens. Presence of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota fungal spores was dominant in the samples; ∼20% of the spores were un-characterized. The season-wise variability in fungal spores showed a statistically significant high correlation with CPM load. Maximum number concentration of the spores in CPM was recorded in the summer, while minimum in the winter. The high diversity of spores occurred during monsoon and post monsoon months. The meteorological factors played an important role in the fungal spores’ distribution profile. The temporal profile of the spores showed significant correlation with the ambient temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), wind speed (WS) and planetary boundary layer (PBL) height. Strong correlation of WS with fungal spores and CPM, and wind back trajectories suggest that re-suspension and wind assisted transport of PM contributes to ambient CPM associated fungal spores.