English

The Fungal community : its organization and role in the ecosystem

The dung microcosm provides experimental options for the ecologist that cannot be reproduced without disturbing the habitat or the natural biotic community. In nature the dung 'islands' colonized by coprophilous fungi will evemually 'sink' as they decompose and become mixed imo the soil by invertebrates. The reproductive success (fitness) of a coprophilous fungus can be measured by its ability to escape from the island in the form of spores. Counts of fungal sporocarps on dung surfaces provide a meaningful measure of how factors such as incubation temperature, competition or predation impact fungal fitness. Patterns of fungal sporocarp development and estimates of total fungal biomass can be recorded against a background of decomposition losses and changes in the chemical composition of dung. Coprophilous fungi represent a relevant source of antifungal antibiotics and offer fermentation microbiologists a source of 'white-rot' fungi that can efficiently degrade lignocellulose in the presence of nutrient nitrogen. · xxiv, 976 p. : 27 cm · Includes bibliographical references and indexes

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