Copper (II), Lead (ll) and Zinc (ll) reduce the rate of attachment in three zoosporic true fungi from soils of NSW, Australia

Zoosporic fungi (chytrids) are common soil saprotrophs and parasites and important organisms which decompose complex carbohydrates, yet little is known of their ability to colonise these substrates in the presence of toxic metals. Three saprotrophic isolates of zoosporic fungi from the soils of NSW, Australia, are examined here for their ability to adhere to cellulose and chitin in the presence of various concentrations of the toxic metal ions Cu (II), Pb (II) and Zn (II). Rhizo-phlyctis rosea and Gaertneriomyces semiglobifer showed significant reduction in the attachment rate at 60 ppm for Cu (II), while Chytriomyces hyalinus and G. semiglobifer declined significantly at 60 ppm Zn (II) and R. rosea and C. hyalinus at 100 ppm Pb (II). Rhizoids of R. rosea increased significantly both in number and length when incubated with 20, 30 and 60 ppm Pb (II). If these metals cause similar effects in soils, Cu (II), Pb (II) and Zn (II) are expected to reduce attachment rates of zoosporic fungi. thereby slowing the mineralisation of organic matter.