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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Influence of water quality on diversity and composition of fungal communities in a tropical river

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Author(s):
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Ortiz-Vera, Mabel Patricia [1] ; Olchanheski, Luiz Ricardo [1] ; da Silva, Eliane Goncalves [1] ; de Lima, Felipe Rezende [1] ; del Pilar Rada Martinez, Lina Rocio [1] ; Zanoli Sato, Maria Ines [2] ; Jaffe, Rodolfo [3] ; Alves, Ronnie [3] ; Ichiwaki, Simone [1] ; Padilla, Gabriel [1] ; Araujo, Welington Luiz [1]
Total Authors: 11
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Biomed Sci, Dept Microbiol, NAP BIOP, LABMEM, Av Lineu Prestes 1374, Ed Biomed 2, Cidade Univ, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil
[2] Environm Co Sao Paulo State CETESB, Dept Environm Anal, Av Prof Frederico Hermann Jr 345, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil
[3] Inst Tecnol Vale Desenvolvimento Sustentavel, Rua Boaventura da Silva 955, BR-66055090 Belem, Para - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 3
Document type: Journal article
Source: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS; v. 8, OCT 4 2018.
Web of Science Citations: 0
Abstract

Freshwater fungi are key decomposers of organic material and play important roles in nutrient cycling, bio-remediation and ecosystem functioning. Although aquatic fungal communities respond to pollution, few studies have quantitatively assessed the effect of freshwater contamination on fungal diversity and composition; and knowledge is scarcer for tropical systems. Here we help fill this knowledge gap by studying a heavily-contaminated South American river spanning a biodiversity hotspot. We collected 30 water samples scattered across a quality gradient over two seasons and analyzed them using Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (T-RFLP) coupled with 454 Pyrosequencing. Using T-RFLP we identified 451 and 442 Operational Taxonomy Units (OTUs) in the dry and rainy seasons respectively, whereas Pyrosequencing revealed 48,553 OTUs from which 11% were shared between seasons. Although 68% of all identified OTUs and 51% of all identified phyla remained unidentified, dominant fungal phyla included the Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota, Glomeromycota, Zygomycota and Neocallimastigomycota, while Calcarisporiella, Didymosphaeria, Mycosphaerella (Ascomycota) and Rhodotorula (Basidiomycota) were the most abundant genera. Fungal diversity was affected by pH and dissolved iron, while community composition was influenced by dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrate, biological oxygen demand, total aluminum, total organic carbon, total iron and seasonality. The presence of potentially pathogenic species was associated with high pH. Furthermore, geographic distance was positively associated with community dissimilarity, suggesting that local conditions allowed divergence among fungal communities. Overall, our findings raise potential concerns for human health and the functioning of tropical river ecosystems and they call for improved water sanitation systems. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 17/12510-4 - Endophytic microorganisms and the host plant: genes and metabolites involved in the interaction
Grantee:Welington Luiz de Araújo
Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants