Colonization of mangrove wood by marine fungi at Kuala Selangor mangrove stand, Malaysia

Test blocks of Avicemia marina and Bruguiera parviflora were exposed at Kuala Selangor mangrove stand for 90 weeks and examined at regular intervals to determine colonization patterns. Sixty-one fungi were identified from 486 test blocks. The most common fungi on Avicennia marina blocks were Halosarpheia marina, Lignincola laevis, L. longirostris, Lulworthia grandispora, Periconia prolifica, Savoryella lignicola and Trichocladium achrasporum. On Bruguiera parviflora blocks the most common fungi were Halosarpheia marina, H. ratnagiriensis, H. retorquens, Lignincola laevis, Lulworthia grandispora, Savoryella lignicola and Triehocladium achrasporum. A Jaccard similarity index of 0.5-0.8 showed the species composition on Avicennia marina and Bruguiera parviflora to be relatively similar at each stage of colonization. Although a succession of fungi on the wood was not observed, there was a clear pattern of colonization. Early colonizers (6-18 weeks) on both timbers and at all stands include Halosarpheia marina, H. retorquens, Lignincola laevis, L. longirostris and Lulworthia grandispora. Intermediate colonizers (26-54 weeks) included Dictyosporium pelagicum, Halocyphina villosa, Halosarpheia ratnagiriensis, Periconia prolifica, Savoryella lignicola, Trichocladium achrasporum, T. alopallonellum and Verruculina enalia. Late colonizers (60-96 weeks) were Aigialus parvus, Leptosphaeria australiensis, Nais glitra. Quintaria lignatilis, Saccardoella marinospora and Tirispora unicaudata. A lower number of fungi and percentage of colonization was observed at the early stage of colonisation than at the intermediate and late colonization stages. The percentage occurrence of fungi on wood was very high (100%) at all stages, with the number of fungi per sample: 1.8-4.2 (early stage), 6-8 (intermediate stage) and 4-7 (late stage). The data is compared with other studies.