Abstract
This paper deals with the association of members of the Labyrinthulomycetes (Thraustochytriales and Labyrinthulales) with decaying or decayed leaves at an intertidal mangrove at Morib, Malaysia. Representatives of both orders of these obligately marine unicellular eukaryotes of unresolved taxonomic affinities (Chamberlain & Moss, 1988) were consistently isolated from leaves at all stages of decay from the recently fallen to those in an advanced stage of decay, but not from either green or senescent yellow leaves attached to trees. Baiting experiments using γ-irradiated leaf discs of Sonneratia and Rhizophora spp. immersed in the aquatic environment of the mangrove, revealed that leaf material was colonised by both labyrinthulids and thraustochytrids within 24 hours of immersion at the test site and these organisms were isolated from the leaf material throughout the 14 day study period. In vitro experiments using axenic cultures of three thraustochytrid genera inoculated onto sterile discs of Sonneratia leaves and incubated for 14 days caused loss of both biomass and structural integrity of the leaf material. Freeze fracture, followed by scanning electron microscopy of leaves inoculated with a thraustochytrid and a strain of Labyrinthula, revealed that penetration of the leaf occurred after 4 days and that the thraustochytrid was associated with localised degradation of internal leaf tissues. Cellulase production by an isolate of Schizochytrium aggregatum was detected. The results of all the above investigations are discussed with reference to the role of members of the Labyrinthulomycetes in nutrient cycling in the mangrove.
Key words
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bahnweg, G., 1979. Studies on the physiology of Thraustochytriales. II. Carbon Nutrition. Veroff. Inst. Meeresforshung. Bremerhaven 17: 369–273.
Carder, J. H., 1986. Detection and condition of cellulase by Congo Red staining of substrates in a cup plate diffusion assay. Analyt. Biochem. 153: 75–79.
Chamberlain, A. H. L. & S. T. Moss, 1988. The thraustochytrids: a protist group with mixed affinities. BioSystems. 21: 341–348.
Fell, J. W. & I. M. Master, 1973. Fungi associated with the decay of mangrove (Rhizophora mangle L.) leaves in South Florida. In L. H. Stevenson & R. R. Colwell (eds), Estuarine Microbial Ecology.University of South Carolina Press. Columbia, USA: 455–466.
Fell, J. W. & I. M. Master, 1975. Phycomycete (Phytophtora spp. nov. and Pythium sp. nov.) associated with degrading mangrove leaves. Can. J. Bot. 53: 2908–2922.
Fell, J. W. & I. M. Master, 1980. The association and potential role of fungi in mangrove detrital systems. Bot. Mar. 23: 257–263.
Findlay, R. H., J. W. Fell, N. K. Coleman & J. R. Vestal, 1986. In Moss, S. T. (ed.) The Biology of Marine Fungi. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. UK: 91–104.
Gaertner, A., 1968. Eine methode des quantitativen Nachweises Niedere, mit pollen koderbare pilze in Meereswater und im sediment.Veroff. Inst. Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven 3: 75–92.
Gessner, R. V, 1980. Degradative enzyme activity by salt marsh fungi. Bot. mar. 23: 133–139.
Heald, E. J. & W. E. Odum, 1970. The contribution of mangrove swamps to Florida fisheries. Proc. Ann. Gulf. Carrib. Fish. Inst. 22: 130–135.
Hyde, K. D., 1986. Frequency of occurrence of lignicolous marine fungi in the tropics. In S. T. Moss, (ed.), The Biology of Marine Fungi. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. UK: 311–322.
Hyde, K. D. & B. D. Borse, 1986. Marine fungi from the Seychelles. V. Massarina velataspora a new marine Ascomycete from mangrove wood. Mycotaxon 27: 161–167.
Jones, E. B. G. & T. K. Tan, 1987. Observations on manglicolous fungi from Malaysia. Trans, br. mycol. Soc. 89: 390–392.
Lee, B. K. H. & G. E. Baker, 1973. Fungi associated with the roots of the red mangrove. Mycologia 65: 894–906.
Lugo, A. E. & S. C. Snedaker, 1974. The Ecology of Mangroves. Ann. Rev. Ecol. System. 5: 39–64.
Miller, J. D. & E. B. G. Jones, 1983. Observations on the association of thraustochytrid marine fungi with decaying seaweed. Bot. mar. 26: 345–351.
Moss, S. T., 1986. Biology and phylogeny of the Labyrinthulales and Thraustochytriales. In S. T. Moss (ed.). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge UK: 105–131.
Mouzouras, R., 1989. Decay of mangrove wood by marine fungi. Bot. mar. 32: 65–69.
Muehlstein, L. K., D. Porter & F. T. Short, 1988. Labyrinthula sp. a marine slime mold producing the symptoms of wasting disease in eelgrass, Zostera marina. Mar. Biol. 99: 465–472.
Raghu Kumar, S., 1985. Enumeration of thraustochytrids (heterotrophic microorganisms) from the Arabian Sea. Mahasagor Bull. Nat. Inst. of Oceanography. 18: 457–465.
Raghu Kumar, S., 1988. Schizochytrium mangrovei sp. nov., a thraustochytrid from mangroves in India. Trans. br. mycol. Soc. 90: 627–631.
Renn, C. E., 1935. A mycetozoan parasite of Zostera marina. Nature, Lond. 134–416.
Ulken, A., 1984. The fungi of the mangle ecosystem. In F. D. Por & I. Dor. (eds), Hydrobiology of the Mangle. W Junk, The Hague: 27–33.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1995 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this paper
Cite this paper
Bremer, G.B. (1995). Lower marine fungi (labyrinthulomycetes) and the decay of mangrove leaf litter. In: Wong, YS., Tam, N.F.Y. (eds) Asia-Pacific Symposium on Mangrove Ecosystems. Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 106. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0289-6_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0289-6_12
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-4127-0
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-0289-6
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive