Identified Species of Zoosporic Fungi, Order Saprolegniales, from the Smoky Mountains
Porter D and Waterhouse M. 2001. Identified Species of Zoosporic Fungi, Order Saprolegniales, from the Smoky Mountains. National Park Service
The All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory is a new project that aims for a goal that has never been undertaken before to evaluate an area’s complete biodiversity. The project is aimed currently at the Smoky Mountain National Park of which only a small percent of biota is actually documented. Once completed, in an estimated 10 to 15 years, the project will provide a complete knowledge of this region’s inhabitants. This particular research was involved with isolating and classifying Zoosporic Fungi in the Oomycetes: order Saprolegniales as part of the ATBI. Isolation involved taking a soil or twig sample and baiting it with a sesame seed in sterile pond water. The fungi preferentially grow on the nutrient rich seed. Using sterile techniques, the hyphae were then plucked off and transferred to a nutrient rich medium, a cornmeal agar. Now the fungi were repeatedly isolated to multiple plates allowing for a pure sample. Once isolated, the fungi could be placed back on a seed in sterile pond water, which allowed the fungi to produce sexual structures necessary for identification. The hyphae were then examined under a microscope and certain characteristics used to identify the species. In addition, methods were taken to ensure long-term storage once isolated. To date fourteen fungi have been isolated including species of Saprolegnia, Achlya, Isoachlya, Thraustotheca, and Leptolegnia. Photographic examples of this diversity will be provided.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Porter, David; Waterhouse, Michael
- Date of Issue
- 2001
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- GRSM
- Keywords
- All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, ATBI, Biodiversity, GRSM-00970, Isoachlya, Saprolegniales, Thraustotheca, water molds, zoosporic fungi
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Water | Water Quality | Microorganisms