Occurrence Of Myxomycetes Research Articles

Occurrence of myxomycetes in selected elevated urban residential gardens in Metro Manila, Philippines

Roof-top gardens in low- and high-rise urban residential buildings are common in many urban cities for their aesthetic value and perceived health benefits for the building occupants. Leaf litter from plant communities in these gardens offer suitable microclimate conditions and substrates that can support growth and development of myxomycetes. Myxomycetes, also called slime molds, play a role in maintaining the soil microbiome, and can influence the microbial communities in these residential gardens. In this study, 204 ground leaf litter samples of ornamental woody shrubs and herbaceous flowering plants were collected from elevated gardens in eight low-to-high rise buildings for the preparation of moist chambers (MC). A total of 14 species of myxomycetes belonging to nine genera were recorded and identified in this study: Arcyria cinerea, Collaria arcyrionema, Diachea leucopodia, Diderma effusum, Diderma hemisphaericum, Didymium nigripes, Didymium sp., Didymium squamulosum, Ophiotheca chrysosperma, Perichaena cf. corticalis, Perichaena depressa, Physarum album, Physarum cinereum, and Stemonitis cf. pallida. Overall MC productivity ranged from 43 to 45%. In terms of species abundance, Arcyria cinerea and Perichaena depressa were among the most recorded myxomycetes. The study provided evidence of rooftop gardens as suitable habitats for myxomycetes.

Myxomycetes in the Pantanal biome: first records and a new associate, Attalea phalerata

The occurrence of myxomycetes is reported for the first time in the Brazilian Pantanal and on Attalea phalerata (acuri palm). The records are based on sporocarp collections made in the municipality of Poconé, State of Mato Grosso, in an area characterized by seasonal hydrological fluctuations and naturally open areas. We report six species: Arcyria obvelata, Perichaena depressa, and P. vermicularis (Trichiaceae); and Physarum album, P. compressum, and P. polycephalum (Physaraceae), all of which represent new records for the Pantanal and a new substrate, A. phalerata.

Myxomycetes in Brazilian mangroves: species associated with Avicennia nitida, Laguncularia racemosa and Rhizophora mangle

Mangroves are distributed among tropical and subtropical coastlines of all oceans, and associated macroflora and macrofauna are generally well studied. However, information on mangrove-associated microbiota is still scarce. To help fill this gap in knowledge, we conducted research on the occurrence of Myxomycetes in the southern coast of Pernambuco state, northeastern Brazil. In the Rio Formoso estuary, we examined adult Rhizophora mangle (Rm), Laguncularia racemosa (Lr) and Avicennia nitida (An), collecting samples of live trunk bark (Bk), twigs from aerial litter (Tg), and aerial leaf litter (Lf) for moist chamber culture (n = 600). The following species were identified: Arcyria cinerea (Rm/Tg); A. pomiformis (Rm;Lr/Bk); Collaria arcyrionema (Rm/B); Clastoderma debaryanum (Lr/Bk; Rm/Tg); Cribraria violacea (Rm/Bk;Tg); Physarum auriscalpium (Rm/Tg); P. tenerum (Rm/Bk); Stemonitis fusca (Lr/Tg); S. herbatica (Rm/Lf); S. virginiensis (Rm/Tg) and Stemonaria irregularis (An/Lf). The percentage of positive cultures was very low (24 %), with Rm as the predominant substrate with eight species and Tg as the predominant microhabitat. The majority of species are rare (60 %) and Physarum auriscalpium was the only species frequently registered. The taxonomic diversity indices ranged from 1.00 (Lf;Bk) to 1.20 (Tg). There was no similarity in the composition of myxobiota found on the substrates and microhabitats analyzed. Only S. irregularis was found in mangroves that inhabit areas of higher salinity. Physarum tenerum is reported here for the first time in the mangrove environment.

Microhabitats occupied by Myxomycetes in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: Heliconiaceae inflorescences.

The occurrence of Myxomycetes in Heliconia psittacorum L.f. inflorescences was researched within four conservation units located in Northeast Brazil, aiming at evaluating the occupation of this microhabitat in fragments of Atlantic Forest along an altitude between 30-750 m. Inflorescences attached to the plant were examined; dead flowers and bracts were collected to assemble moist chambers (368). Four families, four genera and 10 species were recorded. A preference was evidenced for a basic pH substrate and a predominance of calcareous species (5:1). The composition of the myxobiota in fragments pertaining to altitudes above 400 m was similar and differed significantly from the one found in fragments of lowland forests (<100 m). Physarum compressum and Arcyria cinerea are the most characteristic species of the studied myxobiota.

The occurrence of myxomycetes in wood

Abstract Although the fruiting bodies of myxomycetes are commonly found associated with coarse woody debris in forest ecosystems throughout the world, there is no direct evidence that these organisms actually live within wood. In the research reported herein, surface sterilisation of pieces of wood taken from the branches of eight different tree species and the subsequent culturing of slivers of wood collected from within the interior of those branches clearly revealed the presence of the amoeboflagellates of myxomycetes. No evidence of the occurrence of plasmodia within wood was found, but amoeboflagellates emerged from 47 % of the wood slivers placed in culture.

Occurrence of myxomycetes in the aerial “canopy soil” microhabitat

Myxomycetes (also called plasmodial slime molds or myxogastrids) are now known to occur in the aerial ―canopy soil‖ microhabitat of those forest types (primarily temperate and tropical rain forests) in which this type of microhabitat exists. They appear to be less common than dictyostelid cellular slime mold (dictyostelids) in canopy soil but can be relatively common in some microsites. Reported herein are the first records of myxomycetes from canopy soil in the temperate rain forests of the Southern Hemisphere.

The occurrence of myxomycetes from a lowland montane forest and agricultural plantations of Negros Occidental, Western Visayas, Philippines

Higher floral and faunal biodiversity is expected in multi-species-covered mountainous forests than in mono-typic agricultural plantations. To verify this supposition for cryptogamic species like the plasmodial slime molds, a rapid field survey was conducted for myxomycetes and substrates in forest floor litter and agricultural plantation were collected in Negros Occidental, Philippines. Morphological characterization identified a total of 28 species belonging to the genera Arcyria, Ceratiomyxa, Collaria, Comatricha, Craterium, Cribraria, Diderma, Didymium, Hemitrichia, Lamproderma, Physarum, Stemonitis, Trichia and Tubifera. The myxomycete species Arcyria cinerea was the only abundant species found both in the agricultural and forested areas. The majority of collected species were rarely occurring. In terms of species composition, more myxomycetes were recorded in the mountainous forest (27) compared to agricultural sites. Furthermore, aerial leaf litter collected in the forests had the highest number of records for fruiting bodies but in terms of species diversity, twigs yielded higher value based on Shannon index. Findings in this study verify that a habitat with more heterogenous plant communities yields higher species of myxomycete assemblages. This research is the first study to report myxomycetes from Negros Occidental.

Myxomycetes of the nature reserve near Wałbrzych (SW Poland). II. Dependence on the substrate and seasonality

Results confirm domination of the occurrence of slime moulds on decaying wood of &lt;i&gt;Fagus&lt;/i&gt; (33 taxa), as well as on &lt;i&gt;Tilia&lt;/i&gt; (31). The list of species found on wood of &lt;i&gt;Acer pseudoplatanus&lt;/i&gt; was extended up to 18. In such a specific microhabitat as litter 33 taxa were found, and among them abundant occurrence of &lt;i&gt;Diachea leucopodia&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;Diderma testaceum&lt;/i&gt; was conspicuous. Dependence of the occurrence of myxomycetes on climatic conditions is manifeted by various periods of "fructification" of particular species. August and September were the most favourable months (49 taxa each) while July was the worst one (30 taxa). Slime moulds inhabiting litter had their maximum from June to August.

Revised data on the occurrence of myxomycetes in Central Poland

A checklist of 81 taxa has been prepared on the basis of 750 exsiccates of slime moulds collected in the years 1958-2009 in the area of Central Poland and preserved in the Herbarium LOD F. All these materials were reexamined according to contemporary literature. The paper summarizes the existing data concerning the occurrence of slime moulds in this area. Among the identified taxa there are four species indicated in the red list in Poland: &lt;em&gt;Badhamia affinis, Physarum robustum, Didymium leptotrichum&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;Clastoderma debaryanum&lt;/em&gt;.

Patterns of occurrence of myxomycetes on lianas

Abstract Patterns of occurrence of myxomycetes on different types of lianas were assessed at the Mushroom Research Centre in northern Thailand during the rainy season of Jun.–Sep. 2008. A total of 30 species representing, 15 genera of myxomycetes, were obtained from a series of moist chamber cultures prepared with samples of living and dead lianas. The results of the present study appear to indicate that such biodiversity parameters of myxomycete communities as species richness, species diversity, taxonomic diversity and species composition vary on lianas as a result of the differences that exist in height above the ground, bark texture and liana diameter. Three of the species (Physarum didermoides, Physarum aeneum and Perichaena dictyonema) recorded in the present study are new for Thailand.

Influence of bark pH on the occurrence and distribution of tree canopy myxomycete species

This study compares the occurrence and distribution of myxomycete species in the canopy of living trees and neighboring grapevines. Corticolous myxomycetes of three temperate forests in southeastern USA were studied on six tree species (30 trees) and grapevines (30 vines) to determine distribution and occurrence of myxomycete species relating to geographic location, host species, and bark pH. The double-rope climbing technique was used to access the canopy and sample bark up to 16.5 m. Bark samples were examined in 580 moist chamber cultures and 44 myxomycete species were identified representing 21 genera, averaging 3.0 ± 2.1 species per sample site. Jaccard’s coefficient determined community similarity between five individuals of six tree species, Acer saccharum, Fraxinus americana, Liquidambar styraciflua, Liriodendron tulipifera, Platanus occidentalis and Tsuga canadensis, and neighboring grapevines, Vitis aestivalis and V. vulpina. Vertical variation in species richness was significantly different only for Platanus occidentalis and might be attributable to flaking of bark with increasing height in the canopy. Tsuga canadensis and neighboring grapevines had greatest community similarity. Cribraria violacea was observed on all tree and grapevine species except T. canadensis and neighboring grapevines. Occurrence and species assemblages of myxomycetes were associated with bark pH, not geographic location. Bark of V. aestivalis (pH 4.5) was more acidic than neighboring T. canadensis (pH 4.1), compared to grapevines of the same species neighboring other tree species. Results indicated that most species are not regionally restricted, and although some myxomycetes are associated with a certain pH range, others develop on any substratum. Future research protocols for corticolous myxomycetes should emphasize sampling adequate amounts of substrata in a local region from different host species that have a wide range of bark pH, ensuring a representative sample of species for an entire region.

Distribution and occurrence of myxomycetes on agricultural ground litter and forest floor litter in Thailand

The ecological distribution and seasonal patterns of occurrence of myxomycetes associated with the microhabitats represented by agricultural ground litter and forest floor litter were investigated in six study sites in northern Thailand during Oct 2004–Oct 2005. Both specimens that developed under natural conditions in the field and specimens obtained in moist chamber cultures were considered. Agricultural study sites were a banana plantation, a mango orchard and a sweet corn farm, whereas forest study sites consisted of a lowland forest, a midelevation forest and a highland forest. Seventy species of myxomycetes representing 20 genera were collected, with 34 species recorded during the dry season and 58 species recorded during the rainy season. Distinct differences were apparent for numbers of positive moist chambers, numbers of species recorded from moist chambers, numbers of species recorded as field collections and numbers of field collections when data obtained for the two seasons were compared. In the dry season only three species were collected in the field, but the percentage of positive moist chamber cultures (129/180 or 72%) and number of species recorded (33) from these cultures were high. In contrast, during the rainy season, 52 species of myxomycetes were collected in the field but only 15 species were recorded from the much lower percentage (75/180 or 42%) of positive moist chambers cultures.

Distribution and occurrence of myxomycetes on agricultural ground litter and forest floor litter in Thailand

The ecological distribution and seasonal patterns of occurrence of myxomycetes associated with the microhabitats represented by agricultural ground litter and forest floor litter were investigated in six study sites in northern Thailand during Oct 2004-Oct 2005. Both specimens that developed under natural conditions in the field and specimens obtained in moist chamber cultures were considered. Agricultural study sites were a banana plantation, a mango orchard and a sweet corn farm, whereas forest study sites consisted of a lowland forest, a midelevation forest and a highland forest. Seventy species of myxomycetes representing 20 genera were collected, with 34 species recorded during the dry season and 58 species recorded during the rainy season. Distinct differences were apparent for numbers of positive moist chambers, numbers of species recorded from moist chambers, numbers of species recorded as field collections and numbers of field collections when data obtained for the two seasons were compared. In the dry season only three species were collected in the field, but the percentage of positive moist chamber cultures (129/180 or 72%) and number of species recorded (33) from these cultures were high. In contrast, during the rainy season, 52 species of myxomycetes were collected in the field but only 15 species were recorded from the much lower percentage (75/180 or 42%) of positive moist chambers cultures.

Myxomycetes sobre inflorescências e folhas vivas de lírio-do-brejo (Hedychium coronarium Koenig, Zingiberaceae): registro de um novo substrato

The occurrence of Myxomycetes on living individuals of Hedychium coronarium Koenig was registered at Botucatu (22o52’ S and 48o26’ W) and Itatinga (23o08’ S and 48o38’ W) Municipalities, Sao Paulo State, southeastern Brazil. Sporophores were found on floral bracts, floral remains and leaves near the inflorescences on living plants, which indicates that this is a favourable substract to Myxomycetes development. Five species where found: Didymium bahiense Gottsb., D. nigripes (Link) Fr. (Didymiaceae), Physarum compressum Alb. & Schwein., P. pusillum (Berk. & M. A. Curtis) G. Lister (Physaraceae) and Arcyria cinerea (Bull.) Pers. (Arcyriaceae). All of them can be considered floricolous species, although their occurrence has been reported in several studies on litter material. This is the first record of inflorescence inhabited by Myxomycetes for Brazil.

The occurrence of myxomycetes on different decay stages of trunks of Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris and Betula spp. in a small oldgrowth forest in southern Finland

The occurrence of myxomycetes on different decay stages of trunks of Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris and Betula spp. in a small oldgrowth forest in southern Finland