The soil microfungi of white cedar forests in Ontario

Abstract

A study was made of the fungal populations of neutral to alkaline organic soils from eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) forests in southwestern Ontario. A modified dilution plate technique was used, with peptone–dextrose agar medium supplemented with streptomycin and rose bengal. A total of 184 species belonging to 101 genera were recovered. The dominant species recovered were, in order of dominance: Penicillium spp.; Fusarium spp.; Trichoderma viride; Paecilomyces carneus; Coniothyrium spp.; Cladosporium herbarum; Gliocladium roseum; Cephalosporium spp.; Sterile dark mycelium; Pestalotia sp.; Phialophora spp.; Botryotrichum piluliferum; and Myrothecium roridum. Several undescribed soil fungi were also isolated.