Abstract
The effect of the saprotrophic ascomyceteChalara longipes on the decomposition of humic acids was determined in a cultivation experiment. The fungus was incubated in liquid cultures in a full-strength (F system) and an organic nitrogen-free medium (F-N system), both amended with pure humic acids isolated from spruce forest litter. Fungal biomass production was highest in the F system with humic acids and lowest in the F-N system, the effect of organic nitrogen and humic acids being significant (p < 0.05). The presence of organic nitrogen seems to be essential for growth. The fungus utilized humic acids; molar mass distribution in media obtained by gel-permeation chromatography showed decrease in the humic acids fraction. Decolorization of the media reached 75 and 64 % in the F and F-N systems, respectively. The molar mass of humic acids probably also decreased as estimated from the increase in the absorbanceA 465/A 665 (A 4/A 6) ratio. It is assumed that the utilization of humic acids may be mediated by the production of organic acids (as their components) and production of some oxidative enzymes.
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Abbreviations
- FA:
-
fulvic acids
- HA:
-
humic acids
- HS:
-
humic substances
- MEA:
-
malt extract agar
- Norg :
-
organic nitrogen
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The research was supported by theGrant Agency of the Czech Republic, project no. 206/03/H137 and byInstitutional Research Concepts no. AV 0Z 502 0903 and Z6 066 911.
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Koukol, O., Gryndler, M., Novák, F. et al. Effect ofChalara longipes on decomposition of humic acids fromPicea abies needle litter. Folia Microbiol 49, 574–578 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02931536
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02931536