Fungi and yeasts in the Patos Lagoon Estuary and Cassino Beach, Rio Grande-RS, Brazil

Abstract

This study evaluated the spatial and temporal variability of the fungi and yeasts in the waters of the estuarine region of the Patos Lagoon and the near by Cassino Beach. Water samples were collected monthly for one year from three sites distributed along the Patos Lagoon estuary and adjacent coastal waters. The diversity of fungi was assessed by cultivating the samples in Sabouraud agar plates with Chloramphenicol. Environmental variables like water temperature, salinity, pH and dissolved inorganic nutrients (phosphate ammonium, nitrite and nitrate) were also analyzed. The most common fungal genera found in this study were Aspergillus sp, Penicillium sp, and clusters of non-sporulating fungi and yeasts. Fungi distribution was mainly affected by salinity, ammonium and phosphate.