Evidence for extreme salinity tolerance in saprolegniaceous fungi (Oomycetes) [Saprolegnia australis, Saprolegnia diclina, Thraustotheca clavata]

• Published in: Mycologia Vol. 76; no. 2; pp. 372 - 375
• Main Author: Padgett, David E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lawrence, KS Taylor & Francis 01-03-1984; New York Botanical Garden; Mycological Society of America
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Brackish; Brackish water ecosystems; Brief Articles; Dialysis; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungi; Hempseed; Mold; Mycelium; Salinity; salinity tolerance; Saprolegnia australis; Saprolegnia diclina; Saprolegniaceae; Sea water; Synecology; water molds; Fungi; Freshwater environment; Brackish environment; Salt resistance; Phycomycetes; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0027-5514; 1557-2536
• DOI: 10.1080/00275514.1984.12023851

Although previous investigations expand the ecological range of saprolegniaceous fungi, the osmotic stress and subsequent hyphal distortion reported suggest strongly that water molds are poorly adapted to and probably not morphologically active in salinities exceeding about 15 to 18ppt. Whether or not colonies established on suspended detritus particles can survive exposure to greater salinities when swept seaward by an ebbing tide, however, remained an open question. The present investigation was undertaken to determine if hyphal fragments of water molds (Saprolegnia australis, S. diclina, and Thraustotheca clavata) as well as colonies growing on naturally occurring substrata (i.e., twigs) could survive exposure to full strength sea water (35 ppt) under actual field conditions.