Exploring the Mycological Diversity in Southern Western Ghats

The mycobiota of the soil of the forest floor of South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests was investigated. In the present study soil fungal diversity at four sites were evaluated in a tropical moist broadleaf forest, the ecoregion of southern India. The study period was a full year covering all the four seasons viz. winter, summer, pre-monsoon and post monsoon. We isolated and identified 87 species belonging to 17 genera. Compositional differences were observed among samples from different soil samples like saprophytic species predominating in the litter layer. The total count of genus or species did not always follow the number of cases of isolation. Most of the genera detected belonged to the Ascomycotina with fewer proportions belonging to Deuteromycotina. The genera of highest incidence was found to be Aspergillus 28.73% (25 species) followed by Penicillium, Fusarium and Alternaria sharing 13.79% (12 species), 8.04% (7 species) and 6.89% (6 species) respectively. Curvularia, Mucor and Trichoderma share 5.74% (5 species each). Rhizopus comprises 3.44% (3 species). The other species like Cladosporium, Dreschlera, Curvularia, Emericella, Saccharomyces and Verticillium comprise 2.29% (2 species each). Absidia, Allomyces, Hormodendrum, Neurospora, Sarocladium, etc. comprise one species each. Among these isolates Sarocladium oryzae was found to be a rare species isolated. Hormodendrum was found to be one of a potential cellulose degraders among these isolates. Comparable levels of fungal richness were observed following traditional specimen-based collecting and culturing surveys, but only after extensive sampling.