Fungal Diversity in the Neptune Forest: Comparison of the Mycobiota of Posidonia oceanica, Flabellia petiolata, and Padina pavonica.

Fungi are widely distributed in the Oceans, interact with other organisms and play roles that range from pathogenic to mutualistic. The present work focuses on the characterization of the cultivable mycobiota associated with the seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile collected off the Elba Island (Italy). We identified 102 taxa (mainly Ascomycota) by the mean of a polyphasic approach. Leaves, rhizomes, roots and matte were characterized by unique mycobiota revealing a "plant-part-specificity." The comparison with the mycobiota associated with the green alga Flabellia petiolata and the brown alga Padina pavonica underlined a "substrate specificity." Indeed, despite being part of the same phytocoenosis, these photosynthetic organisms recruit different fungal communities. The mycobiota seems to be necessary for the host's defense and protection, playing, in this way, remarkable ecological roles. Among the 61 species detected in association with P. oceanica (including two species belonging to the newly introduced genus Paralulworthia), 37 were reported for the first time from the Mediterranean Sea.

Wastewater-Agar as a selection environment: A first step towards a fungal in-situ bioaugmentation strategy.

Viable and metabolically active fungi in toxic mixed liquors, treating landfill leachates and municipal wastewaters, were identified by culture depending methods. A selective culture medium consisting of wastewater and agar (WA) restrained fungi that could be randomly present (94% of the 51 taxa retrieved on WA were sample-specific), overcoming the problem of fast growing fungi or mycoparasite fungi. Moreover, WA allowed the isolation of fungi with a possible role in the degradation of pollutants typically present in the two wastewaters. Phoma medicaginis var. medicaginis, Chaetomium globosum, and Geotrichum candidum were mainly found in municipal wastewater, whereas Pseudallescheria boydii, Scedosporium apiospermum, Aspergillus pseudodeflectus, and Scopulariopsis brevicaulis were typical of landfill leachate.

Tannery mixed liquors from an ecotoxicological and mycological point of view: Risks vs potential biodegradation application.

Fungi are known to be present in the activated sludge of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). Their study should be at the base of an overall vision of the plant effectiveness and of effluents sanitary impact. Moreover, it could be fundamental for the implementation of successful bioaugmentation strategies aimed at the removal of recalcitrant or toxic compounds. This is one of the first studies on the cultivable autochthonous mycoflora present in the mixed liquors of two WWTP treating either vegetable or chromium tannery effluents. All samples showed a risk associated with potential pathogens or toxigenic species and high ecotoxicity (Lepidium sativum and Raphidocelis subcapitata were the most sensitive organisms). Diverse fungal populations developed, depending on the origin of the samples (63% of the 102 identified taxa were sample-specific). The use of a fungistatic was determinant for the isolation and, thus, for the identification of sample-specific species with a lower growth rate. The incubation temperature also affected the mycoflora composition, even though at lower extent. A selective medium, consisting of agarised wastewater, allowed isolating fungi with a biodegradation potential. Pseudallescheria boydii/Scedosporium apiospermum species complex was ubiquitously dominant, indicating a possible role in the degradation of pollutants in both WWTP. Other species, i.e. Trichoderma spp., Trematosphaeria grisea, Geotrichum candidum, Lichtheimia corymbifera, Acremonium furcatum, Penicillium simplicissimum, Penicillium dangeardii, Fusarium solani, Scopulariopsis brevicaulis potentially could be involved in the degradation of specific pollutants of vegetable or chromium tannery wastewaters. However, several of these fungi are potential pathogens and their application, for an in situ treatment, must be carefully evaluated.