Abstract

INVESTIGATION ON FUNGAL DIVERSITY IN COASTAL MANGROVE SOIL AT THONDI RAMANATHAPURAM (DT), EAST COAST OF TAMIL NADU, INDIA

*S.Madavasamy and A.Panneerselvam

Abstract

The present study was confined to the Thondi mangrove ecosystem in Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu. Mangrove Sediment (Soil) samples were collected for one year to isolate the fungi. All the collected samples were plated, incubated and the fungal colonies were identified. Colony growth rate of the fungi was studied on solid media. The physico-chemical characteristics of soil samples were found to influence the distribution and population of fungi. Therefore it could be concluded that there is no uniformity in the diversity of marine fungi and their distribution pattern in different geographical regions. The factors were discussed in this manuscript which affecting the distribution of fungi.

Keywords: Thondi, mangrove ecosystem, fungi, Sediment, physico-chemical parameters