Coprophilous Fungi Research Articles

Development of modern analogues for natural, mowed and grazed grasslands using pollen assemblages and coprophilous fungi

Tens of thousands of hectares of salt marsh have formed along eastern Canada's macro-tidal Bay of Fundy. Most of these marshes have been diked and converted to agricultural land since the arrival of Acadian settlers in the 17th century. Although there are currently no controlled salt marsh restoration efforts underway in the Bay of Fundy, there are isolated examples of salt marshes that were restored as a result of unplanned dike breaches. In an effort to develop pollen modern analogues of local dikeland and salt marsh land uses, surface soil samples were collected from John Lusby Marsh, a dikeland to which tidal flooding was restored in the late 1940s, and two nearby diked marshes, one left fallow and one under active agricultural management. Using discriminant analysis (DA) and principal components analysis (PCA) we successfully separated pollen assemblages representing three grassland land use types: salt marsh, farmed dikeland and fallow dikeland. The farmed dikeland land use was further divided into grazed or manured land use and hayed or unmanured land use based on the presence and relative proportions of coprophilous fungal spores such as Sordaria-type, Tripterospora-type, Cercophora-type, Chaetomium-type, Podospora-type and Sporormiella-type. This work marks the first attempt at incorporating dung fungal spores into a palynological analysis using controlled conditions and demonstrates how the inclusion of dung fungal spore abundances can relay information on past land uses. This brings a new interpretive dimension to palynological analyses without requiring any additional sample collection or preparation.

Linking current environments and processes to fungal spore assemblages: Surface NPM data from woodland environments

While the basic premise of palaeoecological research is that the past and present can be linked, qualitatively or quantitatively, this has not been the case with much of the work in fungal spores and other non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs). This relates partly to the shortage of ecological data, especially in terms of microfungi on plants or in soils. To address this problem, modern samples have been analysed from moss and from subsurface soil from Quercus woodland in SW England. This paper reports modern fungal and pollen assemblage data from grazed and ungrazed sites in order to test the use of fungal NPMs as indicators of grazing in prehistory. Preliminary conclusions, based here on a small number of samples, suggest that spores of coprophilous fungi are, as expected, more prevalent in soil samples from grazed woodland, but that a zero count does not mean absence of animals. Other fungal types also respond to grazing through indirect mechanisms, probably due to changes in the abundance of host plants and ground conditions.

Proxy climate and vegetation changes during the last five millennia in NW Iberia: Pollen and non-pollen palynomorph data from two ombrotrophic peat bogs in the North Western Iberian Peninsula

Pollen and non-pollen palynomorph data are presented from two radiocarbon-dated ombrotrophic peat bogs from the Xistral Mountains in the North Western Iberian Peninsula. The results suggest that vegetation changes over the last five millennia are the result of human disturbance and climate change. Four major periods of forest disturbance are recorded: during the Late Neolithic, Metal Ages, Roman period and culminating in the permanent decline of deciduous forests since the Middle Ages, as agriculture and metallurgy intensified. Records of non-pollen palynomorphs, particularly those derived from fungi, proved to be useful indicators of climate change and human activity. Discriminant and cluster analysis suggest that trends in certain pollen and NPP reflect changes in humidity and to a lesser extent temperature. Cyperaceae and Types 18 and 18b increase during more humid, wet phases, whilst Type 306 increases during drier phases. Various ascospores, derived from coprophilous fungi, complement changes in pollen taxa to infer human activity.

Fungi of the colon of the Yukagir Mammoth and from stratigraphically related permafrost samples

Fungal remains from the contents of the colon of the Yukagir Mammoth, and from two other dung samples, preserved in permafrost in the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, and dated ca 18,560 BP, were recorded, illustrated and interpreted. Three identifiable Ascomycetes species were found on plant remains inside the intestinal tract of the mammoth, viz. Lophiostoma corticolum, Pleospora herbarum and Pseudohalonectria lignicola. Dung-inhabiting Ascomycetes were common in one of the dung samples found next to the mammoth body. The composition of the Ascomycete flora suggests that this piece of dung must have been exposed at least 1–2 weeks before fossilisation. The relatively high temperature during the passage of the intestinal tract is essential for the subsequent germination of ascospores of coprophilous fungi in droppings. Fungi may have played an important role in the process of nutrient cycling in the mammoth steppe.

Fossil ascomycetes in Quaternary deposits

Abstract: Remains of various ascomycetes, mainly ascospores, have been detected during palynological studies of lake sediments, peat deposits and samples from archaeological sites. Many taxa can be identified to genus or species level of extant taxa. Ascospore remains may sometimes give indications about the palaeohabitat: for instance, Amphisphaerella dispersella suggests the presence of Populus in the vicinity. Among the identified fungi are several species of the Sordariales, which are valuable dung indicators in archaeological sites. Coprophilous fungi also characterise samples from the Pleistocene mammoth steppe.

Environmental history of the dry forest biome of Guerrero, Mexico, and human impact during the last c. 2700 years

Two lake sediment cores from Madre del Sur mountain range,Guerrero State, west-central Mexico were studied to examine the pastdynamics of the dry forest biome. Pollen, spores of coprophilousfungi, cyanobacteria and lithological changes are presented. The390-cm Tixtla core (1730'N, 99°24W, 1400 maltitude) represents the last 2700 cal. yr; the 340-cm Huitziltepeccore (17°45N, 99°28W, 1430 m altitude) representsthe last 2050 cal. yr. Pollen shows climate-dependent competitionbetween dry deciduous forest (with Asteraceae, Chamaesyce-type,Bursera, Euphorbia, Myrica and Lysiloma-Pithecellobium-type as main components) and moister(mesophyllous) forest (with Pinus, Quercus, Alnus and Juglans). Human impact on the environment is apparent duringthe entire record, as evidenced by crop cultivation (Zea mays,Amaranthus, Capsicum, Chenopodium), coprophilous fungi (Podospora-type and Sporormiella-type), deforestation (at Tixtla in particular) and lake eutrophication, ie, cyanobacteria blooms. Environmental change at both sites is summarized as follows. Period 1 (2700-2450 cal. yr BP): abundant dry deciduous forest and climate conditions drier than today. Period 2 (2450-1950 cal. yr BP): little change in proportions of dry deciduous and mesophyllous forest but floral composition of the forests differed between sites. Human occupation was low. Period 3 (1950-1550 cal. yr BP): dry deciduous forest decreased while mesophyllous forest increased, indicating more humid climatic conditions. Populations expanded significantly around 1950 cal. yr BP. Period 4 (1550-1070 cal. yr BP): maximum expansion of mesophyllous forest. Climate was more humid than today. Pre-Hispanic populations at Tixtla reached high numbers leading to deforestation and eutrophication. Period 5 (1070-c. 750 cal. yr BP): shows abundant mesophyllous forest and lowest proportions of dry deciduous forest. Climate continued to be humid. There is evidence of forest harvesting, crop cultivation and dense human population. Period 6 (c. 750-225 cal. yr BP): dry deciduous forest expanded and mesophyllous forest decreased. There was significant deforestation by pre-Hispanic people around Lake Tixtla. High population densities and frequent fires at both sites caused eutrophication of the lakes. Domesticated herbivores were introduced ∼ad 1500 and the presence of dung is reflected in the record of coprophilous fungi. Period 7 (the last 225 calendar years): the basins were used intensively by local people and their cattle. Dry deciduous forest continued to increase while mesophyllous forest decreased.

New records of fungi from Orkney and Shetland

Summary Sixty-four species of coprophilous fungi were recorded from 42 herbivore dung samples collected in Orkney and Shetland in summer 2005. One, Ascobolus brantophilus, a high latitude species, is newly recorded for the UK and 13 and 28 species are newly recorded for Orkney and Shetland, respectively. The data obtained, with other records, are used to provide support for an earlier demonstration that the latitudinal gradient of species rich-ness, which declines with increasing latitude, can be observed by studying coprophilous fungi.

Holocene Environmental Change and Human Impact in Hoya Rincon de Parangueo, Guanajuato, Mexico

This paper presents a paleoenvironmental study on Hoya Rincon do Parangueo, a maar lake in Valle de Santiago in Central Mexican Bajio. Maar lake sediments have been widely used for high-resolution reconstruction of paleoenvironment. Many different paleoenvironmental proxy data such as stable isotopes, pollen, sediment chemistry, and dung fungus spore were produced in this study. The pine-oak ratio, stable isotopes, and sediment chemistry help to reveal paleoenviromental changes throughout the whole period covered by sediment materials from this study site. The evidence I found indicates that during ca. 9,500 <TEX>$\sim$</TEX> ca. 8,300 cal yr B.P. there was dry climate; during ca. 8,300 <TEX>$\sim$</TEX> ca. 6,300 cal yr B.P. it was wetter; during ca. 6,300 <TEX>$\sim$</TEX> ca. 4,000 cal yr B.P. drier and cooler; during ca. 4,000 <TEX>$\sim$</TEX> ca. 1,100 cal yr B.P. milder and wetter. The presence of Chupicuaro culture between ca. 2,500 <TEX>$\sim$</TEX> 1,100 cal yr B.P. is implied by the high frequencies of Amaranthaceae and Zea mars. It seems that man left this lake around 1,100 cal yr B.P. due to a dry climate after 1,300 cal yr B.P. Spanish arrival around 400 cal yr B.P. is implied by the fact that fe3 mars reappears and Sporormiella spp. become significant around 120 cm, whereas Poaceae drops sharply.

Early Holocene environmental change, the presence and disappearance of early Mesolithic habitation near Zutphen (The Netherlands)

The Early Holocene landscape near Zutphen (The Netherlands) is reconstructed by means of microfossil, macroremain and bone analyses. In this area early Mesolithic sites were found on a river dune along a former river channel. AMS14C dating provided a detailed chronology for the sites and river channel deposits. Between ca. 9800–9600 B.P. open herbaceous vegetation was present on the river dunes. The residual channels were fringed by reed swamps and willow shrubs, with birch and poplar woodlands inland. During this period there are indications of natural or man-made burning of the reed swamp vegetation along the residual channel. Also trampling zones along the lake edge were more abundant. However, no archaeological sites were discovered in the vicinity. From ca. 9600 B.P. on, the area became more densely forested; willow, birch and poplar replaced the reed swamps along the residual channels, while pine colonised the river dunes. Archaeological finds show that early Mesolithic people inhabited the area between ca. 9400 and 9200 B.P. and between ca. 8900–8700 B.P. During the earlier period, records of Urtica, Plantago and coprophilous fungi may point to trampling and/or eutrophication as a result of the presence of large herbivores and people along the channel shores. After ca. 8700 B.P. people probably left the area when open water was no longer available in the vicinity.

Antiamoebins, myrocin B and the basis of antifungal antibiosis in the coprophilous fungus Stilbella erythrocephala (syn. S. fimetaria)

Antiamoebins I, III and XVI as well as several others in minor amounts were produced by four strains of the coprophilous fungus Stilbella erythrocephala (syn. S. fimetaria) in its natural substrate and in liquid culture. The total antiamoebin concentration in dung was 126-624 microg g(-1) fresh weight, with minimum inhibitory concentrations against most other coprophilous fungi being at or below 100 microg mL(-1). Myrocin B, not previously described from S. erythrocephala, was also produced, but only at low, nonfungicidal levels (< 5.3 microg g(-1)). No other antifungal substances were detected. It is concluded that antiamoebins are responsible for antibiosis in dung colonized by S. erythrocephala.

Holocene climatic and environmental change from pollen records of lakes Zempoala and Quila, central Mexican highlands

Pollen records of a 520-cm long core from Lake Zempoala (2800 m altitude) and a 884-cm long composite core from Lake Quila (3010 m altitude), both located 65 km SW of Mexico City, show changes in vegetation and climate. The Zempoala record covers the last c. 6320 cal yr BP, while the Quila record spans the last c. 11,610 cal yr BP. These lakes, with submerged aquatics and hydroseral shore vegetation, lie today in the Abies religiosa-dominated forest belt. From c. 6320 to 2530 cal yr BP Zempoala shows a mixed forest with mesophyllous taxa, indicating warmer and more humid conditions than at present. From c. 2530 to 160 cal yr BP Abies forest and Pinus hartwegii forest dominated, indicating a temperate climate. During the first part of this period, from c. 2530 to 1150 cal yr BP abundant Pinus forest is indicative of drier climate conditions. During the last c. 310 cal yr of this period Abies-dominated forest prevailed, with a floral composition resembling the modern Abies forests. This is indicative of temperate and humid climatic conditions. During the last c. 160 cal yr BP the presence of Zea mays and Plantago reflect human impact. From c. 11,610 to 10,650 cal yr BP Quila shows Alnus- and Pinus-dominated forest, reflecting humid climatic conditions. From 10,650 to 5000 cal yr BP Pinus and Arceuthobium are indicative of a Pinus hartwegii forest, suggesting slightly lower temperatures than at present. A 25-cm thick volcanic ash horizon at 380–355 cm core depth is the well-known ‘yellow ash’ marker with a known age of c. 4200–4800 14C yr BP. This age is supported by our bracketing dates of 5620 and 4650 14C yr BP. From 4630 to 1000 cal yr BP mixed forest, including Pinus, Quercus, Carpinus, Hedyosmum, Juglans and Artemisia, is indicative of mesophytic conditions. From 4630 to 1010 cal yr BP Abies forest was abundant, reflecting colder and more humid conditions. From c. 1010 to 20 cal yr BP Pinus forest was very abundant suggesting, as in site Zempoala, dry climatic conditions. The pollen record from Quila documents four different types of forest: Pinus/Alnus forest (possibly Alnus jorullensis in zone QUI-I), Pinus forest (most likely Pinus hartwegii forest in zone QUI-II), mixed forest in zone QUI-III), and Abies forest ( Abies religiosa forest in zone QUI-IV). The last c. 1000 years show a decline of mixed forest and increasing Abies forest, reflecting cooler and more humid conditions. Quila also shows, during the most recent past, human impact by crop cultivation (Zea mays) and vegetation disturbance ( Plantago) leading to erosion. Other microfossils, among which coprophilous fungi, were recorded and illustrated.

Production of sordarin and related metabolites by the coprophilous fungus Podospora pleiospora in submerged culture and in its natural substrate

Rabbit pellets collected from the field were colonized by Podospora pleiospora at the exclusion of other coprophilous fungi, suggesting antibiosis. In liquid culture, P. pleiospora produced sordarin (1); sordarin B (2), a new compound in which sordarose is replaced by rhamnose; hydroxysordarin (3); and sordaricin (4). The major compounds 1 and 2 exhibited minimum inhibitory concentrations of 0.5-2.5 microg ml(-1) against the yeasts Nematospora coryli and Sporobolomyces roseus, but showed little or no activity against bacteria or coprophilous filamentous fungi. In liquid culture, the production of 1 and 2 together amounted to 2.7 microg ml(-1), whereas in rabbit dung only 1 was produced at a similar concentration (2.3 microg g(-1) fresh weight). The biosynthesis of these substances was unaffected by the presence of inoculum of other fungi tested (Sporobolomyces roseus or Penicillium claviforme) in liquid culture or on dung. Sordarin-type natural products are therefore synthesized by P. pleiospora at sufficiently high concentrations to account for antibiosis against yeasts, but not against filamentous fungi.

Communiols E−H: New Polyketide Metabolites from the Coprophilous Fungus Podospora communis

Communiols E-H (1-4), four new polyketide-derived natural products containing furanocyclopentane, furanocyclopentene, cyclopentene, or gamma-lactone moieties, have been isolated from two geographically distinct isolates of the coprophilous fungus Podospora communis. The structures of these compounds were determined by analysis of NMR and MS data.

Communiols A—D: New Mono‐ and Bis‐tetrahydrofuran Derivatives from the Coprophilous Fungus Podospora communis.

AbstractFor Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

Communiols A–D: new mono- and bis-tetrahydrofuran derivatives from the coprophilous fungus Podospora communis

Communiols A–D ( 1– 4 ), new tetrahydrofuran and bis-tetrahydrofuran derivatives, have been isolated from cultures of the coprophilous fungus Podospora communis, and identified by spectroscopic methods.

A chronology for late prehistoric Madagascar

A database has been assembled with 278 age determinations for Madagascar. Materials 14C dated include pretreated sediments and plant macrofossils from cores and excavations throughout the island, and bones, teeth, or eggshells of most of the extinct megafaunal taxa, including the giant lemurs, hippopotami, and ratites. Additional measurements come from uranium-series dates on speleothems and thermoluminescence dating of pottery. Changes documented include late Pleistocene climatic events and, in the late Holocene, the apparently human-caused transformation of the environment. Multiple lines of evidence point to the earliest human presence at ca. 2300 14C yr BP (350 cal yr BC). A decline in megafauna, inferred from a drastic decrease in spores of the coprophilous fungus Sporormiella spp. in sediments at 1720 ± 40 14C yr BP (230–410 cal yr AD), is followed by large increases in charcoal particles in sediment cores, beginning in the SW part of the island, and spreading to other coasts and the interior over the next millennium. The record of human occupation is initially sparse, but shows large human populations throughout the island by the beginning of the Second Millennium AD. Dating of the “subfossil” megafauna, including pygmy hippos, elephant birds, giant tortoises, and large lemurs, demonstrates that most if not all the extinct taxa were still present on the island when humans arrived. Many taxa overlapped chronologically with humans for a millennium or more. The extinct lemurs Hadropithecus stenognathus, Pachylemur insignis, Mesopropithecus pithecoides, and Daubentonia robusta, and the elephant birds Aepyornis spp. and Mullerornis spp., were still present near the end of the First Millennium AD. Palaeopropithecus ingens, Megaladapis edwardsi, and Archaeolemur sp. (cf. edwardsi) may have survived until the middle of the Second Millennium A.D. One specimen of Hippopotamus of unknown provenance dates to the period of European colonization.

Anserinones A and B: New Antifungal and Antibacterial Benzoquinones from the Coprophilous Fungus Podospora anserina.

ADVERTISEMENT RETURN TO ISSUEPREVErratumNEXTORIGINAL ARTICLEThis notice is a correctionAnserinones A and B: New Antifungal and Antibacterial Benzoquinones from the Coprophilous Fungus Podospora anserina.Hui-juan Wang, Katherine B. Gloer, James B. Gloer, James A. Scott, and David MallochCite this: J. Nat. Prod. 2004, 67, 9, 1637Publication Date (Web):July 22, 2004Publication History Published online22 July 2004Published inissue 1 September 2004https://doi.org/10.1021/np040143pCopyright © 2004 American Chemical Society and American Society of PharmacognosyRIGHTS & PERMISSIONSArticle Views423Altmetric-Citations5LEARN ABOUT THESE METRICSArticle Views are the COUNTER-compliant sum of full text article downloads since November 2008 (both PDF and HTML) across all institutions and individuals. These metrics are regularly updated to reflect usage leading up to the last few days.Citations are the number of other articles citing this article, calculated by Crossref and updated daily. Find more information about Crossref citation counts.The Altmetric Attention Score is a quantitative measure of the attention that a research article has received online. Clicking on the donut icon will load a page at altmetric.com with additional details about the score and the social media presence for the given article. Find more information on the Altmetric Attention Score and how the score is calculated. Share Add toView InAdd Full Text with ReferenceAdd Description ExportRISCitationCitation and abstractCitation and referencesMore Options Share onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InReddit PDF (13 KB) Get e-Alerts Get e-Alerts

Tulasnein and Podospirone from the Coprophilous Xylariaceous Fungus Podosordaria tulasnei

Tulasnein (1), a new metabolite with strong antimicrobial and weaker cytotoxic and phytotoxic activity, was isolated from culture filtrates of three strains of the xylariaceous coprophilous fungus Podosordaria tulasnei. The producing strains were identified by their rhizomorphs and by ITS rDNA sequence analysis. A second new metabolite, podospirone (2), was also produced by all three strains whereas the weakly cytotoxic (+)-3,4-anhydroshikimic acid methyl ester (3) was detected in only one strain.

Coprophilous fungi from Morocco

Summary Fifty-seven species of coprophilous fungi are recorded from 14 dung samples collected from the Souss Valley area of southern Morocco that were incubated in moist chambers. Several new records for Morocco are reported. Evidence for reduced diversity due to the severely degraded nature of the habitats in which the samples were collected is discussed.

Podospora anserina bibliography n° 10 - Additions

Podospora anserina is a coprophilous fungus growing on herbivore dung. It is a pseudohomothallic species in which ascus development results, as in Neurospora tetrasperma but through a different process, in the formation of four large ascospores containing nuclei of both mating types.