Part A | 2.2
14 Part A Marine Flora and Fauna
of plant cells and differs only in the organelles and their
structures. Furthermore, fungi are heterotrophic, feeding on other organisms. Unlike animals (heterotrophic)
which ingest and then digest food, fungi will first digest
food then ingest it.
Most fungi are multicellular; some are unicellular
and are composed of filaments called hyphae. Hyphae
may contain internal cross walls called septa. Septa may
have pores allowing cytoplasmic contents to flow freely
from one cell to another, through which they obtain
their nutrients from the host. Hyphae may be branched;
a dense mass of hyphae is called a mycelium. To maximize nutrient uptake, filamentous fungi form mats of
fine hyphae. Fungi reproduces using spores through
wind-dissemination. Both types of spores (sexual and
asexual) may be reproduced, depending on the species
and conditions. They primarily function as recyclers of
organic material.
2.2 Diversity of Fungi
The kingdom Fungi is the second largest group after
insects and is widely distributed in nature. A conservative estimate of the total number of fungal species
thought to exist is 1:5 million [2.1], with only 71 000
having been described so far [2.2]; the vast majority of
all extant fungi is yet to be named. Assuming a relatively constant rate at which new species are described,
it will take more than 1100 years to catalog and describe
all remaining fungi. However, many of these fungi are
likely to become extinct before they are ever discovered, given the current rates of habitat and host loss.
For example, up to 2% of tropical forests are destroyed
globally each year. These habitats are exceedingly rich
in fungal species. It should be considered that this estimate is based only on plant parasitic fungi and does not
take into account other ecological groups of fungi such
as saprotrophs.
2.2.1 Current Status of Marine Fungi
The first scientific report on marine mycology was published in the early 1900s; therein marine fungi are
distinct from their terrestrial and freshwater counterparts [2.3, 4]. 24 species of marine and terrestrial fungi
have been found on wood-blocks submerged in water
from brackish water lakes in Japan [2.5]. Very little scientific information is available on the occurrence and
distribution of fungi inhabiting marine environments,
including marine mangroves [2.6]. A saprophytic and
facultative parasitic fungus was reported in the coastal
waters and adjacent pelagic areas of the Hawaiian Islands [2.7]. More than 800 microorganisms have been
isolated from marine sediments in Italy [2.8].
Fungal diversity on prop roots, seedlings, and wood
of Rhizophora apiculata, and wood, roots, and pneumatophores of Avicennia spp. are found in the deltaic
mangroves of Godavari and Krishna rivers, on the east
coast of India [2.9]. Frequency of occurrence and biodiversity of the fungi have been reported from mangroves
of the Godavari and Krishna deltas, on the east coast
of India [2.10]. The assemblage and diversity of filamentous fungi on leaf and woody litter accumulated
on the floor of two mangrove forests (Nethravathi and
Udyavara) on the southwest coast of India have been
studied [2.11].
The diversity and ecology of fungi colonizing litter of mangroves in the Bay of Bengal region has been
studied in the mangroves of the Godavary and Krishna
deltas of Andhra Pradesh, Pichavaram of Tamilnadu,
Andaman, and Nicobar islands [2.12]. The occurrence
of fungi and a checklist of fungi have been prepared
based on the pilot study in the Pichavaram mangroves
of southeast India [2.13]. After the tsunami on December 26, 2004, the occurrence of filamentous fungi
on woody debris by means of short-term (1 month)
and long-term (12 months) damp incubation were investigated along five coastal locations on the southeast
coast of India [2.14]. Marine fungi associated with decaying wood samples in the brackish water mangrove
ecosystem and shoreline ecosystem was reported in
south India [2.15]. Filamentous fungal diversity from
the sediments of the continental slope has been investigated along the Bay of Bengal [2.16]. Floristic diversity
and phorophyte specificity of lichens have been studied
along the southeast coast of India, revealing that the latex bearing Excoecaria agallocha bears a maximum of
lichen diversity followed by Rhizophora sp. [2.17, 18].
The above global and Indian scenario of fungal diversity provides unique opportunities for mycologists
to explore fungal diversity and exploit the ecological,
medicinal, and industrial potentials of fungi.
2.2.2 Major Groups of Fungi
True fungi belong to the Eukaryota kingdom, which has
four phyla, 103 orders, 484 families, and 4979 gen-
14 Part A Marine Flora and Fauna
of plant cells and differs only in the organelles and their
structures. Furthermore, fungi are heterotrophic, feeding on other organisms. Unlike animals (heterotrophic)
which ingest and then digest food, fungi will first digest
food then ingest it.
Most fungi are multicellular; some are unicellular
and are composed of filaments called hyphae. Hyphae
may contain internal cross walls called septa. Septa may
have pores allowing cytoplasmic contents to flow freely
from one cell to another, through which they obtain
their nutrients from the host. Hyphae may be branched;
a dense mass of hyphae is called a mycelium. To maximize nutrient uptake, filamentous fungi form mats of
fine hyphae. Fungi reproduces using spores through
wind-dissemination. Both types of spores (sexual and
asexual) may be reproduced, depending on the species
and conditions. They primarily function as recyclers of
organic material.
2.2 Diversity of Fungi
The kingdom Fungi is the second largest group after
insects and is widely distributed in nature. A conservative estimate of the total number of fungal species
thought to exist is 1:5 million [2.1], with only 71 000
having been described so far [2.2]; the vast majority of
all extant fungi is yet to be named. Assuming a relatively constant rate at which new species are described,
it will take more than 1100 years to catalog and describe
all remaining fungi. However, many of these fungi are
likely to become extinct before they are ever discovered, given the current rates of habitat and host loss.
For example, up to 2% of tropical forests are destroyed
globally each year. These habitats are exceedingly rich
in fungal species. It should be considered that this estimate is based only on plant parasitic fungi and does not
take into account other ecological groups of fungi such
as saprotrophs.
2.2.1 Current Status of Marine Fungi
The first scientific report on marine mycology was published in the early 1900s; therein marine fungi are
distinct from their terrestrial and freshwater counterparts [2.3, 4]. 24 species of marine and terrestrial fungi
have been found on wood-blocks submerged in water
from brackish water lakes in Japan [2.5]. Very little scientific information is available on the occurrence and
distribution of fungi inhabiting marine environments,
including marine mangroves [2.6]. A saprophytic and
facultative parasitic fungus was reported in the coastal
waters and adjacent pelagic areas of the Hawaiian Islands [2.7]. More than 800 microorganisms have been
isolated from marine sediments in Italy [2.8].
Fungal diversity on prop roots, seedlings, and wood
of Rhizophora apiculata, and wood, roots, and pneumatophores of Avicennia spp. are found in the deltaic
mangroves of Godavari and Krishna rivers, on the east
coast of India [2.9]. Frequency of occurrence and biodiversity of the fungi have been reported from mangroves
of the Godavari and Krishna deltas, on the east coast
of India [2.10]. The assemblage and diversity of filamentous fungi on leaf and woody litter accumulated
on the floor of two mangrove forests (Nethravathi and
Udyavara) on the southwest coast of India have been
studied [2.11].
The diversity and ecology of fungi colonizing litter of mangroves in the Bay of Bengal region has been
studied in the mangroves of the Godavary and Krishna
deltas of Andhra Pradesh, Pichavaram of Tamilnadu,
Andaman, and Nicobar islands [2.12]. The occurrence
of fungi and a checklist of fungi have been prepared
based on the pilot study in the Pichavaram mangroves
of southeast India [2.13]. After the tsunami on December 26, 2004, the occurrence of filamentous fungi
on woody debris by means of short-term (1 month)
and long-term (12 months) damp incubation were investigated along five coastal locations on the southeast
coast of India [2.14]. Marine fungi associated with decaying wood samples in the brackish water mangrove
ecosystem and shoreline ecosystem was reported in
south India [2.15]. Filamentous fungal diversity from
the sediments of the continental slope has been investigated along the Bay of Bengal [2.16]. Floristic diversity
and phorophyte specificity of lichens have been studied
along the southeast coast of India, revealing that the latex bearing Excoecaria agallocha bears a maximum of
lichen diversity followed by Rhizophora sp. [2.17, 18].
The above global and Indian scenario of fungal diversity provides unique opportunities for mycologists
to explore fungal diversity and exploit the ecological,
medicinal, and industrial potentials of fungi.
2.2.2 Major Groups of Fungi
True fungi belong to the Eukaryota kingdom, which has
four phyla, 103 orders, 484 families, and 4979 gen-