Fungal Species Diversity Research Articles

Earthworm-invaded boreal forest soils harbour distinct microbial communities

Abstract. Earthworm invasion in North American forests has the potential to greatly impact soil microbial communities by altering soil physicochemical properties, including structure, pH, nutrient availability, and soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics. While most research on the topic has been carried out in northern temperate forests, little is known about the impact of invasive earthworms on soil microbial communities in hemiboreal and boreal forests, characterized by a slower decay of organic matter (OM). Earthworm activities can increase OM mineralization, altering nutrient cycling and biological activity in a biome where low carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) availability typically limits microbial and plant growth. Here, we characterized and compared microbial communities of earthworm-invaded and non-invaded soils in previously described sites across three major soil types found in the Canadian (hemi)boreal forest using a space-for-time approach. Microbial communities of forest floors and surface mineral soils were characterized using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis and metabarcoding of the 16S rRNA gene for bacteria and archaea and of the internal-transcriber-spacer-2 (ITS2) region for fungi. In forest floors, the effects of earthworm invasion were minor. In mineral soil horizons, earthworm invasion was associated with higher fungal biomass and greater relative abundance of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Oligotrophic bacteria (Acidobacteriota and Chloroflexi) were less abundant in invaded mineral soils, where Gram(+) : Gram(−) ratios were also lower, while the opposite was observed for the copiotrophic Bacteroidota. Additionally, earthworm-invaded mineral soils harboured higher fungal and bacterial species diversity and richness. Considering the important role of soil microbial communities for ecosystem functioning, such earthworm-induced shifts in their community composition are likely to impact nutrient cycling, as well as vegetation development and forest productivity at a large scale, as the invasion progresses in these (hemi)boreal systems.

Summer Rice–Winter Potato Rotation Suppresses Various Soil-Borne Plant Fungal Pathogens

Growing potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) using the idle rice fields in Southern China and the Indo-Gangetic Plains of India in the winter season through the rice–potato rotation (RC) system could support future food security. However, the modulation capacity of the RC system on soilborne fungal pathogens is still unclear. In the current study, a pot experiment was designed and conducted to monitor the dynamics of soil fungal community composition between the potato monoculture (CC) system and the RC system, where the two systems were set with the same soil conditions: autoclaving with fertilization; autoclaving without fertilization; autoclave-free with fertilization; and autoclave-free without fertilization. Then, the uncultivated soil (CK) and root-zone soil samples of conditions under the two systems were collected, and then soil physiochemical properties and enzymatic activities were determined. Next, the high-variable region (V5–V7) of fungal 18S rRNA genes of the samples were amplified and sequenced through the PCR technique and the Illumina Miseq platform, respectively. Finally, the fungal species diversity and composition, as well as the relative abundance of fungal pathogens annotated against the Fungiuld database in soil samples, were also investigated. The results showed that the RC could significantly (p < 0.05) increase soil fungal species diversity and decrease the relative abundance of soil fungal pathogens, where the RC could suppress 23 soil fungal pathogens through cultivating the rice during the summer season and 93.75% of the remaining pathogens through winter-season cultivation. Seven-eighths of the conditions under RC have lower pathogenic MGIDI indices (6.38 to 7.82) than those of the CC (7.62 to 9.63). Notably, both rice cultivation and winter planting reduced the abundance of the pathogenic strain ASV24 under the Colletotrichum genus. The bipartite fungal network between the pathogens and the non-pathogens showed that the pathogenic members could be restricted through co-occurring with the non-pathogenic species and planting crops in the winter season. Finally, the redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that soil pH, electronic conductivity, available phosphorus content, and various enzyme activities (cellulase, urease, sucrase, acid phosphatase, catalase, polyphenol oxidase) could be the indicators of soil fungal pathogens. This experiment demonstrated that the rice–potato rotation system outperformed the potato monoculture on suppressing soilborne fungal pathogenic community.

Exploring the Diversity and Systematics of Phaeosphaeriaceae: Taxonomic Novelties from Ecologically Diverse Habitats and Their Phylogenetic Resolution.

The family Phaeosphaeriaceae is a diverse group of ascomycetous fungi that are commonly found in terrestrial habitats worldwide. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the biodiversity of Phaeosphaeriaceae in China, particularly in Sichuan Province, which has not been fully explored for its high fungal diversity. In our study, we conducted extensive surveys in Sichuan Province to identify and describe new species of Ascomycota with diverse habitats. Here, we present a taxonomic revision of Phaeosphaeriaceae with taxonomic novelties from terrestrial habitats in Sichuan Province based on a multi-gene phylogenetic approach. Our study focuses on the description of four new species of Phaeosphaeriaceae, representing novel additions to the diversity of this fungal family. Using a combination of morphological and molecular data, we provide detailed descriptions of the new taxa and their placement within the family. Additionally, we discuss the phylogenetic relationships of these new taxa with other members of Phaeosphaeriaceae, providing insights into the correct taxonomic classification of the family. Our taxonomic revision contributes to understanding fungal diversity in China and provides a foundation for future studies investigating the taxonomy and ecological roles of Phaeosphaeriaceae fungi. Furthermore, our multi-gene phylogenetic approach provides increased resolution and accuracy in the delimitation of species boundaries within the family. Our study highlights the importance of continued exploration and taxonomic revision in order to fully understand the diversity and distribution of fungal species in China and beyond. New species:Paraloratospora sichuanensis, Phaeosphaeria chengduensis, P. sichuanensis, and Septoriella shoemakeri. New combinations:Paraloratospora breonadiae, P. fructigena, Septoriella ammophilicola, S. asparagicola, S. festucae, S. luzulae, and S. verrucispora. New names:Septoriella paradactylidis, and S. neomuriformis.

Different Techniques reveal the Difference of Community Structure and Function of Fungi from Root and Rhizosphere of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge.

•Fungi have essential functions in plant health and performance. However, the plant-associated functions of many cultured fungi have not been established in detail. • Here, the fungal species diversity of the Salvia miltiorrhiza root and rhizosphere were first obtained by culturomics and high-throughput sequencing. In addition, we present a comprehensive functional metagenomic analysis of the cultured fungi, and agar plates verified the activities of cellulase and chitinase predicted by metagenomic. • We first present a collection of cultured fungi from the root and rhizosphere of Salvia miltiorrhiza, including 92 species across 37 families and 5 phyla, Ascomycota was the dominant species. Many rDNA internal transcribed spacer sequences were unassigned at lower taxonomic levels. 19 genera of endophytic fungi and 37 genera of rhizosphere fungi are first reported. The cultivation-dependent approach demonstrated a lower taxonomic diversity than high throughput sequencing, but some fungi existed only in cultures. Structural analyses indicated that the dominant species differed in cultured and noncultured samples at other levels except for the phylum level. Functional analysis showed that 223 carbohydrate enzyme families and 393 pathway maps were identified in the CAZy and KEGG databases, respectively. The most abundant families were glycoside hydrolases and carbohydrate metabolism. As predicted by metagenomics, we experimentally verified cellulase and chitinase activities for 29 and 74 fungi, respectively. •We provide the first evidence for biomass recycling by fungi associated with plants. Culturing is necessary to decipher the hidden microbial community and the critical functions in plant-microbe interactions.

Effects of warming and nitrogen addition on soil fungal and bacterial community structures in a temperate meadow.

Soil microbial communities have been influenced by global changes, which might negatively regulate aboveground communities and affect nutrient resource cycling. However, the influence of warming and nitrogen (N) addition and their combined effects on soil microbial community composition and structure are still not well understood. To explore the effect of warming and N addition on the composition and structure of soil microbial communities, a five-year field experiment was conducted in a temperate meadow. We examined the responses of soil fungal and bacterial community compositions and structures to warming and N addition using ITS gene and 16S rRNA gene MiSeq sequencing methods, respectively. Warming and N addition not only increased the diversity of soil fungal species but also affected the soil fungal community structure. Warming and N addition caused significant declines in soil bacterial richness but had few impacts on bacterial community structure. The changes in plant species richness affected the soil fungal community structure, while the changes in plant cover also affected the bacterial community structure. The response of the soil bacterial community structure to warming and N addition was lower than that of the fungal community structure. Our results highlight that the influence of global changes on soil fungal and bacterial community structures might be different, and which also might be determined, to some extent, by plant community, soil physicochemical properties, and climate characteristics at the regional scale.

The amphibians and reptiles of the Northern Selva Lacandona:

Chiapas harbors significant biological and cultural diversity. The region known as Selva Lacandona is an ideal example to study what is called the “biocultural axiom”. This neotropical region is inhabited by multiple indigenous groups, such as the Tsotziles, Tseltales, Tojolabales, Ch’oles, Kanjobales, Chujes, Mames, Lacandones (Hach Winik), and Zoques. The herpetofaunistic diversity of Chiapas is currently represented by 107 species of amphibians and 223 species of reptiles. In the Selva Lacandona region a total of 35 species of amphibians and 90 reptiles has been documented, with some areas still remaining to be formally explored. Traditionally, the use of natural resources by native indigenous communities has been linked to the selective use of those species that have economical, traditional, and/or magical-religious value. Many of these human groups have a deep traditional knowledge about the environment in which they live, as well as the diversity of plant, fungal, and animal species with which they have coexisted over millennia. The Nahá and Metzabok communities are inhabited by the Maya-Lacandón del Norte culture. The objective of this study is to identify the herpetofaunistic species diversity found within the Flora and Fauna Protection Areas (APFF´s) of Nahá andMetzabok. Additionally, we analyzed whether the Lacandones from the north have a herpetofaunistic ethnical taxonomic classification system. A total of 67 species that are recognized by the Lacandones were recorded for both APFFs. The Lacandones del Norte classify the herpetofauna into six groups, i.e., Ak (Turtles), Kan (Snakes), Ayim (Crocodiles), Torok (Lizards), Xut (Frogs), and Be’p (Toads). For Metzabok, the three most frequently mentioned species are Bothrops asper, Boa imperator, and Crocodylus moreletii. For Nahá, the three species of most importance are Basiliscus vittatus, Boa imperator, and Kinosternon leucostomum. The differenceslie in the fact that for the Lacandones of Metzabok, the most important animals are those that are represented in their oral narratives, while for the Nahá community; the most important species are those that they usually find on a daily basis when walking along the trails in the jungle.

Next-generation DNA sequencing offers diagnostic advantages over traditional culture testing.

While the clinical utility of next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) as a diagnostic tool for infections in humans and traditional pets has been demonstrated, there is a lack of data regarding its utility for exotic animals. For exotic patients, traditional culturing is especially challenging for anaerobic and fungal pathogens. Therefore, diagnosis often relies on PCR, which provides a high degree of sensitivity and specificity, although it targets only a predetermined, finite pathogen panel. NGS provides the same benefits as PCR, while also offering de novo identification and quantification of all bacteria and fungi present in a clinical sample, including novel pathogen discovery. Clinical samples from 78 exotic animal patients were collected simultaneously for conventional culture testing and NGS analysis. Results provided by each laboratory were compared for the presence and absence of bacterial and fungal pathogens and commensals. Results showed large bacterial and fungal species diversity in the study cohort and a lack of sensitivity of microbial culture testing. Culture failed to grow 15% of putative bacterial and 81% of putative fungal pathogens that were identified by NGS. The probability of a "no growth" diagnosis was 14% higher for bacteria and 49% higher for fungi with culture versus NGS testing if fungal culture was conducted. Culture testing failed to diagnose a substantial number of both bacterial and fungal pathogens, which were detected by NGS. This highlights the limitations of traditional culture-based testing and displays the clinically advanced utility of NGS-based diagnostics in exotic animal medicine.

A Natural Moisture Gradient Affects Soil Fungal Communities on the South Shore of Hulun Lake, Inner Mongolia, China.

Soil moisture content (SWC) can change the diversity and composition of soil fungal communities by affecting soil texture and soil nutrients. To explore the response of soil fungal communities to moisture in the grassland ecosystem on the south shore of Hulun Lake, we set up a natural moisture gradient that was subdivided into high (HW), medium (MW), and low (LW) water contents. Vegetation was investigated by quadrat method, and aboveground biomass was collected by the mowing method. Soil physicochemical properties were obtained by internal experiments. The composition of the soil fungal community was determined using high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed significant differences in soil texture, nutrients, and fungal species diversity under the moisture gradients. Although there was significant clustering of fungal communities in different treatments, the fungal community composition was not significantly different. According to the phylogenetic tree, the Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the most important branches. The fungal species diversity was smaller when SWC was higher, and in this environment (HW), the fungal-dominant species were significantly related to SWC and soil nutrients. At this time, soil clay formed a protective barrier for the survival of the dominant classes Sordariomycetes and Dothideomycetes and increased their relative abundance. In summary, the fungal community responded significantly to SWC on the southern shore of the Hulun Lake ecosystem in Inner Mongolia, China, and the fungal community composition of the HW group was stable and easier to survive.

Zonal Patterns of Changes in the Taxonomic Composition of Culturable Microfungi Isolated from Permafrost Peatlands of the European Northeast

This paper provides the results of a study on fungal species diversity in the active and permafrost layers of peatlands within frozen peatbogs in the flatland areas of the cryolitozone, European Northeast of Russia (forest-tundra zone, southern and northern tundra subzones). Fungal taxonomic list includes eighty-three species from seventeen genera and two forms of Mycelia sterilia. The phylum Mucoromycota is represented by fifteen species (18% of total isolate number), and these species exhibit the following distribution by genus: Mucor (four), Mortierella (seven), Umbelopsis (three), Podila (one). Ascomycota is represented by sixty-eight species from thirteen genera. The genus Penicillium dominates the species saturation (thirty-seven species, 44%). Soil microfungal complex is represented by rare species (51%), random species (32%), frequent species (15%), and dominant species (2%). In peat soils, dominant species are Penicillium canescens (72%) and non-pigmented (albino) Mycelia sterilia (61%); abundant species are Talaromyces funiculosus (41%), Pseudogymnoascus pannorum (36%), albino Mycelia sterilia (29%), Umbelopsis vinacea (25%), Mortierella alpina (17%), Penicillium decumbens (21%), P. spinulosum (20%), and P. canescens (17%). In active layers of peat soils, abundant species are Penicillium thomii (14%), Mycelia sterilia (13%), Penicillium spinulosum (13%), Penicillium simplicissimum (13%) in forest-tundra; Talaromyces funiculosus (21%), albino Mycelia sterilia (15%), Umbelopsis vinacea (14%) in southern tundra; Penicillium decumbens (23%), P. canescens (17%), P. thomii (13%) in northern tundra. In permafrost peat layers, abundant species are Penicillium spinulosum (17%), Talaromyces funiculosus (34%), and Umbelopsis vinacea (15%) in forest-tundra; Pseudogymnoascus pannorum (30%) and Mortierella alpina (28%) in southern tundra; Pseudogymnoascus pannorum (80%) in northern tundra.

Windstorm disturbance sets off plant species invasion, microbiota shift, and soilborne pathogens spread in an urban Mediterranean forest

We investigated the effects of a severe windstorm on vegetation, soil chemistry, understory microclimate, and soil microbiota in a Mediterranean holm oak forest. Plant species composition remained almost unchanged in the undisturbed area, whereas highly diverse plant communities were found in the disturbed area (e.g. gap area). Specifically, 11 invasive plant species were detected in 2015, but four years after, five disappeared and another five decreased, with only Ailanthus altissima increasing. Soil in disturbed areas has higher pH, Na, P, K, Ca, Cu, and Mn, but lower total limestone, organic carbon, total nitrogen, Mg, Fe, and standing litter compared to undisturbed areas. Disturbed areas had higher light availability at the ground and large variations in soil and air temperature and air relative humidity compared to undisturbed areas. The storm disturbance increased soil bacterial and fungal species richness and diversity. Moreover, the microbial co-occurrence network in the undisturbed area was more heterogeneous and complex, while modularity and number of positive correlations were higher in the disturbed area, which suggests that the structural composition of microbial communities and their co-occurrence patterns have been altered by windstorm disturbance. In the gaps, soil microbial community composition indicated a shift toward an opportunistic microbiota dominated by fast-growing but less competitive species. In addition, we found a large increase in putative plant pathogens but a decrease in simbiotrophic and ectomycorrhizal fungi in the gaps. The present work demonstrate the multiple effects of storm damage on the above- and belowground structure and diversity of forest ecosystems.

Abundance and distribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with oil-yielding plants.

Due to their role in nutrient transmission, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are widespread plant root symbionts. They may improve plant production by altering plant community structure and function. Therefore, a study was conducted in the state of Haryana to analyze the distribution pattern, diversity, and association of different AMF species with oil-yielding plants. The results of the study revealed the percentage of root colonization, sporulation, and diversity of fungal species associated with the selected 30 oil-yielding plants. The percentage root colonization ranged from 0% to 100%, the highest in Helianthus annuus (100.00 ± 0.00) and Zea mays (100.00 ± 0.00) and the least in Citrus aurantium (11.87 ± 1.43). At the same time, there was no root colonization in the Brassicaceae family. The number of AMF spores present in 50 g of soil samples varied from 17.41 ± 5.28 to 497.2 ± 8.38, with maximum spore population in Glycine max (497.2 ± 8.38) and minimum in Brassica napus (17.41 ± 5.28). Besides, the presence of several species of different genera of AMF was reported in all the studied oil-yielding plants, that is, 60 AMF belonging to six genera viz. Acaulospora, Entrophospora, Glomus, Gigaspora, Sclerocystis, and Scutellospora were observed. Overall, this study will promote AMF usage in oil-yielding plants.

Divergent TLR2 and TLR4 Activation by Fungal Spores and Species Diversity in Dust from Waste Sorting Plants.

This manuscript presents the results of an exploratory study on the relationships between NF-κB response through Toll-like receptor (TLR) activation by dust characterized by fungal spore concentrations and species diversity. Personal total dust samples were collected from Norwegian waste sorting plants and then characterized for fungal spores and fungal species diversity, as well as for other bioaerosol components, including endotoxins and actinobacteria. The ability of the dust to induce an NF-κB response by activating TLR2 and TLR4 in vitro was evaluated, as well as the relationship between such responses and quantifiable bioaerosol components. The average concentrations of bioaerosols were 7.23 mg total dust m-3, 4.49 × 105 fungal spores m-3, 814 endotoxin units m-3, and 0.6 × 105 actinobacteria m-3. The mean diversity measurements were 326, 0.59, and 3.39 for fungal richness, evenness, and Shannon index, respectively. Overall, fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to the Ascomycota phylum were most abundant (55%), followed by Basidiomycota (33%) and Mucoromycota (3%). All samples induced significant NF-κB responses through TLR2 and TLR4 activation. While fungal spore levels were positively associated with TLR2 and TLR4 activation, there was a trend that fungal species richness was negatively associated with the activation of these receptors. This observation supports the existence of divergent immunological response relationships between TLR activation and fungal spore levels on one hand and between TLR activation and fungal species diversity on the other. Such relationships seem to be described for the first time for dust from waste facilities. IMPORTANCE This manuscript presents results on multifactorial characterization of bioaerosol exposure in Norwegian waste sorting plants and the potential of such airborne dust to induce NF-κB reactions through TLR2 and TLR4 activations in an in vitro reporter cell model system. Our data revealed that increasing fungal spore levels in the dust is associated with increased activation of TLR2 and TLR4, whereas increasing fungal OTU richness is associated with decreasing activation of these receptors. The NF-κB-induced responses by the collected dust represent, therefore, effective measures of potential key immunological effects induced by a complex mixture of hazardous components, including characterized factors such as endotoxins, fungal spores, bacteria, and many other uncharacterized components. The key immunological events reported here are suggested as holistic alternatives to today's bioaerosol exposure characterization approaches for epidemiological studies in the future.

Current research on fungi in chronic wounds.

The occurrence of chronic wounds is a major global health issue. These wounds are difficult to heal as a result of disordered healing mechanisms. The most common types of chronic wounds are diabetic ulcers, pressure ulcers, arterial/venous ulcers and nonhealing surgical wounds. Although bacteria are an important cause of chronic nonhealing wounds, fungi also play a substantial role in them. The fungal infection rate varies with different chronic wound types, but overall, the prevalence of fungi is extremely underestimated in the clinical treatment and management of chronic wounds. Wounds and ulcers can be colonized by host cutaneous, commensal or environmental fungi and evolve into local infections, causing fungemia as well as invasive fungal disease. Furthermore, the fungi involved in nonhealing wound-related infections help commensal bacteria resist antibiotics and the host immune response, forcing wounds to become reservoirs for multiresistant species, which are considered a potential key factor in the microbial bioburden of wounds and ulcers. Fungi can be recalcitrant to the healing process. Biofilm establishment is the predominant mechanism of fungal resistance or tolerance to antimicrobials in chronic nonhealing wounds. Candida albicans yeast and Trichophyton rubrum filamentous fungi are the main fungi involved in chronic wound infection. Fungal species diversity and drug resistance phenotypes in different chronic nonhealing wound types will be emphasized. In this review, we outline the latest research on fungi in chronic wounds and discuss challenges and future perspectives related to diagnosing and managing chronic wounds.

Topography of the respiratory, oral, and guttural pouch bacterial and fungal microbiotas in horses.

The lower respiratory tract microbiota of the horse is different in states of health and disease, but the bacterial and fungal composition of the healthy respiratory tract of the horse has not been studied in detail. The respiratory tract environment contains distinct niche microbiotas, which decrease in species richness at more distal sampling locations. Characterize the bacterial and fungal microbiotas along the upper and lower respiratory tract of the horse. Healthy Argentinian Thoroughbred horses (n=11) from the same client-owned herd. Prospective cross-sectional study. Eleven upper and lower respiratory tract anatomical locations (bilateral nasal, bilateral deep nasal, nasopharynx, floor of mouth, oropharynx, arytenoids, proximal and distal trachea, guttural pouch) were sampled using a combination of swabs, protected specimen brushes, and saline washes. Total DNA was extracted from each sample and negative control, and the 16S rRNA gene (V4) and ITS2 region were sequenced. Community composition, alpha-diversity, and beta-diversity were compared among sampling locations. Fungal species richness and diversity were highest in the nostrils. More spatial heterogeneity was found in bacterial composition than in fungal communities. The pharyngeal microbiota was most similar to the distal tracheal bacterial and fungal microbiota in healthy horses and therefore may serve as the primary source of bacteria and fungi to the lower respiratory tract. The pharynx is an important location that should be targeted in respiratory microbiota research in horses. Future studies that investigate whether biomarkers of respiratory disease can be reliably detected in nasopharyngeal swab samples are warranted.

Inventory and Management of Fungi Associated with Banana Plant through the Use of <i>Allium ampeloprasum</i> and <i>Cymbopogon citratus</i> Extracts

Despite the nutritional, economic and medicinal values of banana plant, independent of the region and production system is confronted with some diseases such as the fungi disease. These fungal diseases are responsible for the low yields. The objective of this study was to improve the sanitary state of banana plant. To achieve this objective, fungi associated with banana leaves were isolated on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) culture medium and their identification was done on the basis of morphological and microscopic characteristics using reference documents. Antifungal activity of Allium ampeloprasum and Cymbopogon citratus extracts were evaluated in vitro on agar medium on the development of Pseudocercospora fijiensis, P. musicola and Pestalopsis sp. The results showed that banana plant harbours a diversity of fungal species, the most frequent being P. fijiensis (51.58%), Pestalopsis sp. (15.47%) and P. musicola (12.03%). Aqueous extracts of C. citratus at the concentration of 15 mg/ml, inhibited 100% of the radial growth of P. fijiensis and Pestalopsis sp with a fungitoxic activity. Similarly, ethanolic extract A. ampeloprasum inhibited at 100% the radial growth of Pestalopsis sp. This antifungal activity was fungistatic. These results suggest that the aqueous and ethanol extracts of the tested plants could be used as alternatives to chemical products in the fight against banana diseases especially Sigatoka. Hence further studies need to be undertaken to isolate the active compounds from these extracts with fungicidal potential.

Features of the <i>Candida</i> genus community pattern in the intestinal biotope of patients with tuberculosis

Fungi are opportunistic microorganisms that colonize all biotopes of the human body, including intestinal. In case of emerging adverse environmental factors (HIV infection, other immunodeficiencies, antibiotic therapy), these microbial representatives begin active reproduction, which might require prescribing antimycotics. Frequent use of the latter in clinical practice induces the development of drug resistance to antifungal drugs, which may impact on effectiveness of both the treatment of fungal infections and other diseases. The purpose of the study was to assess the pattern and spectrum of drug resistance of Candida genus in the intestinal biotope of patients with respiratory tuberculosis and identify risk factors for developing total fungal drug resistance to antimycotic drugs. Material and methods. There were enrolled 21 patients with respiratory tuberculosis. Pattern of the fungal species diversity for the Candida genus isolated from faeces was evaluated, and the spectrum of relevant drug resistance to antimycotic drugs was determined. Patients (n = 21) were divided into 2 groups: with (n = 10) and without (n = 11) total resistance to antimycotics, after which the main risk factors for its development were identified. Results. Members of the Candida genus were isolated from all patients examined, wherein pure cell cultures were characterized by high level of antimycotics resistance. Resistance to three drugs was noted in 1 culture (4.8%), to four in 10 cultures (47.6%), also found in 10 cultures to the entire drug panel (47.6%). During statistical processing, the data were obtained on affecting formation of total resistance to antimycotics of concomitant pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, the presence of a clinically significant dyspeptic syndrome, a history of antimycotic therapy, HIV infection with severe immunodeficiency, and some decrease in the peripheral blood CD4+ lymphocyte count. Conclusion. Fungi of the Candida genus isolated from tuberculosis patients were characterized by high level of resistance to antimycotics. Total resistance was observed in 47.6% of patients. In addition, the major fungi colonizing the intestines of tuberculosis patients were found to be Candida albicans species. The risk factors for the development of total antifungal resistance included: chronic enterocolitis, dyspeptic syndrome, peripheral blood CD4+ lymphocyte count lower than 350 cells/l, and history of antimycotic therapy.

Preliminary inventory of the mycobiota in the Área Natural Protegida Piedras Bola, Jalisco, México

The Piedras Bola Natural Protected Area (ANPPB) is located to the southwest of the municipality of Ahualulco del Mercado andnorth of Ameca in the state of Jalisco. It is part of a mountain system known as Sierra del Águila. The vegetation of this area ismade up mainly of oak forest, oak-pine forest, forest tropical deciduous, and secondary vegetation. Collections of fungal specimenswere obtained during the rainy season in the months of June to October between 2011 and 2018, carrying out 17 explorations. Thematerial is deposited in the fungal collection of the herbarium IBUG. The macro and micromorphological study was carried outwith conventional mycological techniques and the use of specialized bibliography to identify of the species. A total of 692specimens were collected, and 349 of them were identified as species which corresponds to 130 determinate taxa, 116Basidiomycota, and 14 Ascomycota. The type of vegetation with the greatest richness of fungi was the oak forest (91), while thetropical deciduous forest had the lowest number of taxa (12). This work constitutes the first study of mycobiota in the Piedras BolaNatural Protected Area (ANPPB), which facilitates the recognition of the diversity of fungal species observed.

Effects of land-use intensity, grazing and fire disturbances on soil bacterial and fungal communities in subtropical wetlands

Bacteria and fungi are primary components in wetland soil microbial communities and provide essential ecosystem functions and services. Understanding responses of bacterial and fungal communities to multiple drivers of environmental change and their interactions is crucial for wetland conservation and management, particularly for those embedded in agricultural landscapes. Yet little is known about effect of agricultural land use and wetland management on soil microbial communities in subtropical seasonal wetlands. Here, we used a long-term whole-ecosystem wetland experiment to examine individual and interactive effects of upland land-use intensification, livestock grazing, and prescribed fire on soil bacteria and fungi. We asked: (1) How do land-use intensification, grazing and fire disturbances interact to alter taxonomic composition and functional potential of wetland soil bacterial and fungal communities? (2) To what extent would these management and disturbance effects on wetland microbial communities manifest through alterations in soil properties? Our results showed that both microbial taxonomic and functional composition are responsive to agricultural land use and wetland management. Upland land-use intensification was the strongest driver (as compared to fire and grazing) in shaping bacterial and fungal community composition. Specifically, land-use intensification increased functional richness of both bacteria and fungi, whereas grazing and fire only interactively affected bacterial functional richness. In addition, responses of bacterial and fungal species diversity to wetland management varied, where grazing and fire reduced fungal species diversity in wetlands embedded in low-intensity managed pastures, but none of these management practices altered bacterial species diversity. Further, we found that pH and secondary nutrients (i.e., Ca and Mg) availability were the most important soil properties that explain how agricultural land use and wetland management drive the composition of bacterial and fungal communities. Our findings suggest that integration of lime application into intensified land uses to neutralize soil pH could facilitate maintenance of microbial diversity and associated functions. Our results highlight the need to comprehensively assess management impacts on soil microorganisms, rather than using a single or few indicators, due to inconsistent responses of bacterial and fungal communities, as well as their varied taxonomic and functional responses.

EDNA metabarcoding reveals high soil fungal diversity and variation in community composition among Spanish cliffs.

Environments characterized by physical extremes harbor unique species diversity with particular adaptations. Cliffs are harsh environments for organisms but host a great diversity of specialized plants with many endemics, rare and even endangered species. It is, however, less known which fungal diversity the cliff habitats contain and whether it differs among different cliff locations. We thus sampled soil from three separate cliff locations in the North, Centre, and South of Spain and used eDNA metabarcoding to determine fungal diversity. To better understand whether cliff specialist plants may promote particular fungal communities, we have sampled soil from crevices with cliff specialist plants and no apparent plants as controls. Major lifestyles found in cliff soils were saprotrophs, and major fungal orders were Dothideomycetes, Sordariomycetes, and Eurotiomycetes, while the amount of symbiotrophic fungi was relatively low. We found no significant differences in fungal amplicon sequence variant (ASV) richness among the three sampled locations, but the sites were significantly different in their community composition and their main indicator species. Overall, there were no significant differences in fungal ASV richness or composition between soils from cliff specialist plants and soils without plants, suggesting a unique fungal diversity in cliff soils independent from specialized plants. However, preliminary findings on soils of the specialist cliff plant Sedum dasyphyllum against control soils suggest that the presence of a specialist plant may be a relevant factor affecting the specificity of the fungal community in cliff soils. Our results indicate the existence of particular cliff fungal communities in each location, and that, despite limited and poorly developed soils and harsh conditions, cliffs can harbor a great diversity of fungal species, comparable to other ecosystems of Spain. This study points out that some fungi may be cliff-specific, shaping particular communities that mediate plant adaptations to cliffs' extreme conditions.

Environmental DNA reveals diversity and abundance of Alternaria species in neighbouring heterogeneous landscapes in Worcester, UK

Alternaria is a pathogenic and allergenic fungus affecting 400 plant species and 334 million people globally. This study aimed at assessing the diversity of Alternaria species in airborne samples collected from closely located (7 km apart) and heterogeneous sites (rural, urban and unmanaged grassland) in Worcester and Lakeside, the UK. A secondary objective was to examine how the ITS1 subregion varies from ITS2 in Alternaria species diversity and composition. Airborne spores were collected using Burkard 7-day and multi-vial Cyclone samplers for the period 5 July 2016–9 October 2019. Air samples from the Cyclone were amplified using the ITS1and ITS2 subregions and sequenced using Illumina MiSeq platform whereas those from the Burkard sampler were identified and quantified using optical microscopy. Optical microscopy and eDNA revealed a high abundance of Alternaria in the rural, urban and unmanaged sites. ITS1 and ITS2 detected five and seven different Alternaria species at the three sampling sites, respectively. A. dactylidicola, A. metachromatica and A. infectoria were the most abundant. The rural, urban and unmanaged grassland sites had similar diversity (PERMANOVA) of the species due to similarity in land use and proximity of the sites. Overall, the study showed that heterogeneous and neighbouring sites with similar land uses can have similar Alternaria species. It also demonstrated that an eDNA approach can complement the classical optical microscopy method in providing more precise information on fungal species diversity in an environment for targeted management. Similar studies can be replicated for other allergenic and pathogenic fungi.