Aquatic hyphomycetes were discovered 50 years ago by C.T. Ingold. They remained a relatively obscure group until their role as intermediaries between deciduous leaves and stream invertebrates was established some 20 years ago. This book, for the first time, provides a comprehensive summary and critical evaluation of the biology and ecology of these organisms. Aspecial effort was made to evaluate the potential and actual insight that have been or will be derived from work in related disciplines such as the ecology of other fungal groups, stream ecology, or population ecology. The topics treated include the basic life history of the fungi and the potential role of wood, a discussion of how the fungi have adjusted to life in running water, their interactions with invertebrates, the attachment and germination of their spores, what is known about sexual reproduction, how water chemistry may influence their distribution and activity, how they react to human degradation of their environment, and a summary of the research done on the Indian subcontinent. The volume is of special interest to mycologists and stream ecologists and should facilitate the entry of new workers into this exciting area.

The available literature on freshwater fungi is limited. Over the subsequent years a considerable volume of scientific papers have appeared scattered throughout numerous journals. There is therefore no recent synthesis of the subject and this is the objective of the proposed book. Freshwater habitats are rich in fungi with some 3,000 described species, most of papers focussing on their identification, substrata they grow on and world distribution. However, these fungi play an important role in the freshwater ecosystem, and are primarily involved in the breakdown of leaf litter contributing food for detritus feeders. Our book will bring together a wide range of acclaimed mycologists to review recent developments on the biology and ecology of freshwater fungi, particularly their molecular phylogeny, biodiversity, causative diseases of freshwater amphibians, fishes and invertebrate animals, decomposition of leaf litter, stream pollution and their potential role in bioremediation.

Aquatic hyphomycetes were discovered 50 years ago by C.T. Ingold. They remained a relatively obscure group until their role as intermediaries between deciduous leaves and stream invertebrates was established some 20 years ago. This book, for the first time, provides a comprehensive summary and critical evaluation of the biology and ecology of these organisms. Aspecial effort was made to evaluate the potential and actual insight that have been or will be derived from work in related disciplines such as the ecology of other fungal groups, stream ecology, or population ecology. The topics treated include the basic life history of the fungi and the potential role of wood, a discussion of how the fungi have adjusted to life in running water, their interactions with invertebrates, the attachment and germination of their spores, what is known about sexual reproduction, how water chemistry may influence their distribution and activity, how they react to human degradation of their environment, and a summary of the research done on the Indian subcontinent. The volume is of special interest to mycologists and stream ecologists and should facilitate the entry of new workers into this exciting area.

Fungi play vital roles in all ecosystems, as decomposers, symbionts of animals and plants and as parasites. Thus their ecology is of great interest. It has been estimated that there may be as many as 1. 5 million species of fungi, many of which are still undescribed. These interact in various ways with their hosts, with their substrates, with their competitors (including other fungi) and with abiotic variables of their environment. They show great variation in morphology, reproduction, life cycles and modes of dispersal. They grow in almost every conceivable habitat where organic carbon is available: on rock surfaces, in soil, the sea and in fresh water, at extremes of high and low temperature, on dry substrata and in concen trated solutions. Fungal ecology is therefore an enormous subject and its literature is voluminous. In view of this we have had to be selective in the material we have included in this book. We have chosen to concentrate on subjects in which we have some personal experience through either research or teaching. We preferred to tackle a few subjects in depth instead of attempting to cover a wider range of topics superficially. We are conscious of the extensive gaps in coverage: for example on the ecology of lichens, of fungal plant pathogens and of the complex interactions between fungi and animals. It is some justification that book-length treatments of these subjects are available elsewhere.

The primary objective of this book is to provide students and laboratory instructors at universities and professional ecologists with a broad range of established methods to study plant litter decomposition. Detailed protocols for direct use in the field or laboratory are presented in an easy to follow step-by-step format. A short introduction to each protocol reviews the ecological significance and principles of the technique and points to key references.

"...a number of chapters provide excellent summaries of the modern methods available for studying fungal ecology, along with those more traditional methods that are still extremely valuable...overall it is a hugely valuable compendium of fungal ecology research. It is a must for the library shelf." -Lynne Boddy, Cardiff University, UK, Mycological Research, 2006 "These 44 chapters are an excellent starting point for anyone interested in fungal communities, in the broadest sense of the term. It is a book for dipping into...may be the last comprehensive treatment of fungal communities before the molecular revolution." -Meriel Jones, University of Liverpool, UK, Microbiology Today "... the scope of the work is tremendous. ... Excellent chapters providing overviews of methods ... provide a snap shot of the current approaches used to understand fungal communities at several levels of organization. This book should probably be on the shelf of every student of mycology, and many ecologists too. For all students, this book should be a valuable resource and source of inspiration." -Daniel Henk, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, London, in Inoculum, Vol. 59, No. 3, May 2008 "Thorough taxonomic and subject indices further aid the reader in navigating through multiple authors’ treatments of subjects of interest." - Anthony Amend, Department of Botany, University of Hawaii at Manoa in Economic Botany, V. 61 In all subjects in science, new findings and the use of new technologies allow us to develop an ever-greater understanding of our world. Expanded and updated coverage in the fourth edition includes: Adds new sections on Integrating Genomics and Metagenomics into Community Analysis, Recent Advances in Fungal Endophyte Research, Fungi in the Built Environment, and Fungal Signaling and Communication Includes a broader treatment of fungal communities in natural ecosystems with in-depth coverage of fungal adaptations to stress and conservation Expands coverage of the influence of climate change on fungi and the role of fungi in organically polluted ecosystems Includes contributions from scientists from 20 nations to illustrate a true global approach for bridging gaps between ecological concepts and mycology

The primary objective of this book is to provide students and laboratory instructors at universities and professional ecologists with a broad range of established methods to study plant litter decomposition. Detailed protocols for direct use in the field or laboratory are presented in an easy to follow step-by-step format. A short introduction to each protocol reviews the ecological significance and principles of the technique and points to key references.

Freshwater Mycology: Perspectives of Fungal Dynamics in Freshwater Ecosystems presents chapters from expert contributors around the world. Through the contributed chapters, the contributors explore the perspectives of fungal dynamics in freshwater ecosystems, especially their diversity, distribution, functioning and role, biotransformation and bioprospecting potential, methodical advancements and metagenomic insights. Written with aquatic ecologists in mind, this book provides information on oceanic, estuarine and freshwater ecosystems not currently well understood and identifies new questions and answers about the roles of mycology in aquatic ecosystems. This topic is becoming an increasingly important area to understand due to the increasing global transports of microbes due to climate change and human actions. This is leading to a rapid loss of healthy freshwater ecosystems, the grave problem of antibiotic resistance, and the rarity of qualified mycology taxonomists and molecular systematicians. - Includes data from locations not previously or well covered from prior synthesis publications - Identifies new information on the roles of mycology in aquatic ecosystems - Provides insights into the fungal diversity of freshwater ecosystems, along with their potential roles

The primary objective of this book is to provide students and laboratory instructors at universities and professional ecologists with a broad range of established methods to study plant litter decomposition. Detailed protocols for direct use in the field or laboratory are presented in an easy to follow step-by-step format. A short introduction to each protocol reviews the ecological significance and principles of the technique and points to key references.