Anaerobic growth of fungal mycelium from soil particles onto nutrient-free silica gel

Particles of various woodland soils were placed on to the surface of nutrient-free silica gel and incubated at 25 °C anaerobically in an atmosphere of CO 2 or CO 2 + H 2. Fine fungal mycelium grew from the soil particles on to the nutrient-free silica gel incubated in both atmospheres. Although all particles did not yield mycelium, fungal growth was produced from all soils, most frequently those from below beech ( Fagus sylvatica ). The anaerobic fungus grew both aerobically or anaerobically on Czapek Dox agar and was identified as Fusarium solani. These observations show that woodland soils contain at least one fungus which can grow both on nutrient-free silica gel and anaerobically in a atmosphere of either CO 2 + H 2 or CO 2 alone, using only nutrients from the soil or atmosphere. It seems, therefore, that at least some fungi are capable of growing anaerobically in soils.